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Updated: Jun 13, 2026
08:20
Measuring Neural Mechanisms Underlying Sleep-Dependent Memory Consolidation During Naps in Early Childhood
Published on: October 2, 2019
Sleep patterns and their age-related changes in elementary-school children.
Wan Seok Seo1, Hyung-Mo Sung, Jong Hun Lee
1Department of Neuropsychiatry, Yeungnam University, Daegu, Republic of Korea. sws3901@ynu.ac.kr
Sleep Medicine
|May 19, 2010
Summary
Children
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Sleep Medicine
- Child Development
Background:
- Assessing sleep patterns in children is crucial for understanding developmental and health outcomes.
- Variations in sleep duration and timing can impact cognitive function and well-being.
- Understanding factors influencing children's sleep is essential for public health initiatives.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate children's bedtime, wake-up time, total sleep duration (TSD), sleep latency, and daytime napping by age and gender.
- To compare sleep duration based on various demographic and lifestyle factors in children.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 3639 children in Daegu, Korea.
- Sleep parameters including bedtime, wake-up time, TSD, sleep latency, and napping were analyzed.
- Comparisons were made across different age groups, genders, and lifestyle factors.
Main Results:
- Significant age-related variations were observed in bedtime and TSD, with older children sleeping less.
- No gender differences in sleep parameters were found.
- Napping decreased until age 9, then increased; housing type, extracurricular activities, and screen time influenced sleep duration.
Conclusions:
- Older children experience shorter sleep durations primarily due to later bedtimes.
- Socio-cultural factors, high levels of nighttime and recreational activities, and excessive academic pursuits may contribute to late bedtimes.
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