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Dissonance Between Parent-Selected Bedtimes and Young Children's Circadian Physiology Influences Nighttime Settling

Monique K Lebourgeois1, Kenneth P Wright2, Hannah B Lebourgeois2

  • 1Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder ; Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University.

Mind, Brain and Education : the Official Journal of the International Mind, Brain, and Education Society
|February 19, 2014
PubMed

Insights

Discrepancies between a child's internal clock (dim light melatonin onset) and bedtime can lead to nighttime settling problems. Aligning bedtime with the child's natural sleep cycle is crucial for resolving sleep difficulties.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Sleep Medicine
  • Chronobiology
  • Developmental Psychology

Background:

  • Nighttime settling difficulties affect approximately 25% of young children.
  • These issues are linked to attentional, behavioral, and emotional challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between the timing of endogenous circadian melatonin phase (dim light melatonin onset; DLMO) and parent-selected bedtimes.
  • To determine if this relationship influences nighttime settling behaviors in preschoolers.

Main Methods:

  • A 6-day protocol involving 14 preschoolers (30-36 months).
  • Data collection included parent-reported nighttime settling, actigraphy for sleep onset latency, and salivary DLMO measurements.
  • Analysis focused on the association between DLMO timing, bedtime, and sleep outcomes.

Main Results:

  • Later DLMO timings correlated with longer sleep-onset latencies and reduced success in falling asleep.
  • Bedtimes closer to DLMO were associated with increased sleep-onset latencies and bedtime resistance.
  • Average DLMO occurred 29 minutes before the parent-selected bedtime.

Conclusions:

  • A mismatch between a child's circadian rhythm (DLMO) and bedtime can contribute to nighttime settling difficulties.
  • Understanding circadian physiology is important for addressing sleep problems in early childhood.

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