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Association between sleep stages and hunger scores in 36 children

R Arun1, P Pina1, D Rubin1

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, St. Barnabas Hospital, Bronx, NY, USA.

Pediatric Obesity
|October 14, 2015
PubMed

Insights

Children with later bedtimes experience increased hunger due to more Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep and less Slow Wave Sleep (SWS). This sleep pattern may influence childhood obesity.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Sleep Medicine
  • Childhood Obesity Research
  • Sleep Physiology and Metabolism

Background:

  • Childhood obesity is a significant public health concern.
  • Delayed sleep phases in children are linked to increased obesity risk, potentially due to altered caloric intake.
  • Previous adult studies suggest a link between REM sleep and energy balance, a connection not yet established in children.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between hunger scores and specific sleep physiology parameters in children.
  • To explore how sleep stages, particularly REM sleep, correlate with hunger levels in a pediatric population.

Main Methods:

  • The study included 36 children referred for polysomnography to assess suspected obstructive sleep apnea.
  • Sleep stages, including REM and Slow Wave Sleep (SWS), were monitored during polysomnography.
  • Hunger scores were measured using a visual analogue scale in children with a mean age of 9.6 years.

Main Results:

  • Hunger scores showed a positive correlation with the percentage of total REM sleep and REM sleep duration.
  • A negative correlation was observed between hunger scores and the percentage of Slow Wave Sleep (SWS).
  • No significant correlations were found between hunger scores and age, sex, BMI, or other sleep parameters like total sleep time or sleep efficiency.

Conclusions:

  • Findings suggest that later bedtimes, leading to a higher proportion of REM sleep and reduced SWS, may increase hunger levels in children.
  • This altered sleep architecture could be a contributing factor to increased caloric intake and obesity risk in children with delayed sleep phases.
Abstract

Keywords:
Circadian rhythmREM sleephungerslow wave sleep

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