Association between air pollution and sleep disordered breathing in children

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 29, 2026

Author Spotlight: Unveiling the Connection Between Sleep Disorders and Cognitive Symptoms in Depression
04:33

Author Spotlight: Unveiling the Connection Between Sleep Disorders and Cognitive Symptoms in Depression

Published on: April 26, 2024

1.5K

Trinidad Sánchez1, David Gozal2, Dale L Smith3

  • 1Division of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.

Pediatric Pulmonology
|February 6, 2019
PubMed

Insights

Air pollution, including ozone and sulfur dioxide, is linked to sleep disordered breathing symptoms in children. Environmental factors like humidity and temperature also impact respiratory sleep issues.

Area of Science:

  • Environmental Health
  • Pediatric Respiratory Medicine
  • Sleep Science

Background:

  • Sleep disordered breathing (SDB) may worsen with air contaminant exposure.
  • Air pollution's impact on SDB incidence and severity in children is under investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore associations between air pollutant exposure and SDB symptoms in children.
  • To investigate the role of environmental factors in pediatric sleep disturbances.

Main Methods:

  • Cross-sectional study involving first-grade children in Chile.
  • Data collection included clinical SDB risk factors, the Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire (PSQ), and air quality/meteorological data.
  • Statistical analyses adjusted for demographic and household variables.

Main Results:

  • A prevalence of 17.7% for SDB was identified via PSQ.
  • Higher ozone (O3) and sulfur dioxide (SO2) levels correlated with increased odds of wheezing-related sleep disturbances.
  • Increased humidity was associated with higher PSQ scores, while lower temperatures predicted snoring.

Conclusions:

  • Pediatric sleep respiratory symptoms like wheezing and snoring are significantly associated with air pollutants (O3, SO2).
  • Environmental conditions, including humidity and low temperatures, may also contribute to SDB symptoms in children.
Abstract

Keywords:
air pollutionhabitual snoringsleepsleep disordered breathingwheezing

More Related Videos

Breath Collection from Children for Disease Biomarker Discovery06:09

Breath Collection from Children for Disease Biomarker Discovery

Published on: February 14, 2019

7.4K
Visualizing Field Data Collection Procedures of Exposure and Biomarker Assessments for the Household Air Pollution Intervention Network Trial in India09:33

Visualizing Field Data Collection Procedures of Exposure and Biomarker Assessments for the Household Air Pollution Intervention Network Trial in India

Published on: December 23, 2022

3.0K

Related Concept Videos

Substance Use Disorders Affecting Sleep01:24

Substance Use Disorders Affecting Sleep

Substance use disorders involve a pattern of using drugs more extensively than intended and continuing use despite harmful consequences. This includes legal substances like alcohol and nicotine, as well as illegal drugs. These disorders often involve both physical and psychological dependence, reflecting compulsive use of substances that significantly alter thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, contributing to a major public health issue.
Understanding the concepts of physical dependence,...
446
REM Sleep Behavior Disorder01:15

REM Sleep Behavior Disorder

REM Sleep Behavior Disorder (RBD) is a sleep disorder characterized by the absence of muscle paralysis that normally occurs during the REM phase of sleep. This absence allows individuals to physically act out their dreams, which are often vivid and disturbing. Common behaviors exhibited during episodes include kicking, punching, and yelling. These actions can be dangerous, potentially leading to injuries for the person with RBD or their bed partner.
RBD is significantly associated with...
1.6K
Breathing01:05

Breathing

The process of breathing, inhaling and exhaling, involves the coordinated movement of the chest wall, the lungs, and the muscles that move them. Two muscle groups with important roles in breathing are the diaphragm, located directly below the lungs, and the intercostal muscles, which lie between the ribs. When the diaphragm contracts, it moves downward, increasing the volume of the thoracic cavity and creating more room for the lungs to expand. When the intercostal muscles contract, the ribs...
64.5K
Insufficient Sleep and Sleep Deprivation01:13

Insufficient Sleep and Sleep Deprivation

Insufficient sleep refers to not getting the recommended amount of sleep for optimal functioning, even if it's just slightly less than needed. Sleep insufficiency may occur due to lifestyle choices, such as staying up late for social events or work, resulting in routinely getting less sleep than required. For example, consistently sleeping 6 hours when the body needs 7-9 hours can lead to cumulative effects on health and well-being.
Sleep deprivation is a more severe form of sleep loss...
932
Stages of Sleep01:22

Stages of Sleep

Sleep progresses through distinct stages, each characterized by specific brain wave patterns and physiological responses ranging from wakefulness to stages of non-rapid eye movement, known as non-REM, to rapid eye movement, referred to as REM. Understanding these stages helps in recognizing how sleep supports various bodily and cognitive functions.
Before sleep begins, in wakefulness, the brain exhibits primarily beta waves, which are high in frequency and low in amplitude, indicating alertness...
1.4K
Understanding Sleep01:11

Understanding Sleep

Sleep, an essential biological state, involves significant reductions in physical activity, sensory awareness, and interaction with the environment. This complex physiological process is primarily regulated by specific brain regions, notably the hypothalamus and pons, which govern the sleep-wake cycle or circadian rhythm.
The circadian rhythm, a nearly 24-hour cycle, is deeply influenced by environmental light cues. Light exposure directly affects the hypothalamus, which in turn regulates...
1.5K