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Do more active children sleep more? A repeated cross-sectional analysis using accelerometry
Sheila M Williams1, Victoria L Farmer2, Barry J Taylor3
1Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
Insights
More active children sleep less and wake more at night. This study found daytime physical activity levels in children are linked to shorter sleep duration and increased night waking, with these patterns remaining consistent across childhood.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Sleep Science
- Childhood Physical Activity
- Developmental Pediatrics
Background:
- Understanding the relationship between physical activity and sleep in children is crucial for promoting healthy development.
- Previous research has suggested links between activity levels and sleep patterns, but longitudinal data using objective measures is limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between daytime physical activity (sedentary, light, and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity [MVPA]) and sleep duration/night waking in children.
- To examine how these associations evolve from early childhood (3 years) through middle childhood (7 years).
Main Methods:
- Utilized 24-hour accelerometry data from 234 children at ages 3, 5, and 7 years.
- Sleep duration was calculated using the Sadeh algorithm, and activity levels were categorized using established cut-points.
- Statistical analyses accounted for the closed nature of 24-hour activity data.
Main Results:
- Higher levels of daytime physical activity, particularly sedentary and light activity, were associated with shorter sleep duration and more minutes awake at night.
- The most active children (95th percentile) slept significantly less and were more awake at night compared to the least active children (5th percentile).
- Later bedtimes correlated with reduced sleep duration and increased sedentary/light activity, but not with increased MVPA; relationships remained stable across the studied ages.
Conclusions:
- Increased daytime physical activity in children is associated with reduced total sleep time and more frequent night waking.
- The findings suggest that the known protective effect of sleep against obesity is unlikely to be explained by increased physical activity.
Aim:
To determine whether levels of daytime physical activity are associated with sleep duration and night waking in children assessed using accelerometry, and if these associations change over time.
Methods:
24-hour accelerometry data were obtained from 234 children at 3, 5 and 7 years of age for at least 5 days at each time. Sleep duration was estimated using the Sadeh algorithm. Time spent in sedentary, light and moderate-vigorous (MVPA) activity was established using published cut-points. Appropriate statistical techniques were utilised to account for the closed nature of the data (24-hour periods).
Results:
Time spent asleep was related more to sedentary or light activity and not to MVPA. The most active (95th percentile) children spent 55-84 fewer minutes asleep and 16-19 more minutes awake at night compared to the least active (5th percentile) children. Children with later bedtimes slept less at night (30-40 minutes) and undertook more sedentary (10-15 minutes) but also more light (18-23 minutes) activity during the day. However, no differences in MVPA were apparent according to bedtime. Children slept slightly less on weekend nights (11 minutes) compared with week-nights, but only at 3 years of age. Most relationships were broadly similar at 3, 5 and 7 years of age.
Conclusion:
Children who are more physically active during the day have shorter total sleep time and are more awake at night than less active children. The protective effect of sleep on obesity does not appear to be mediated by increased physical activity.
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