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Updated: Jan 19, 2026
Breakfast Habits among Schoolchildren in the City of Uruguaiana, Brazil
Published on: July 29, 2020
[Sleep habits among preschool- and schoolchildren]
Katalin Fusz1, Bernadett Ritecz2, Brigitta Balogh2
1Pécsi Tudományegyetem, Általános Orvostudományi Kar, Élettani Intézet, Pécs.
Insights
This study highlights that good sleep habits and hygiene are crucial for children. Positive influences include reading before sleep, while TV negatively impacts sleep quality and duration in both preschool and school-aged children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Sleep Medicine
- Child Health Behavior
- Sleep Science
Background:
- Sleep is fundamental for child development and well-being.
- Understanding sleep habits and quality in children is essential for identifying potential issues.
- Factors influencing sleep patterns require investigation across different age groups.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate sleep habits and quality in preschool and schoolchildren.
- To identify factors influencing sleep patterns in children.
- To emphasize the importance of sleep hygiene for pediatric populations.
Main Methods:
- Utilized two questionnaires: one for preschool children's sleep habits (including Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire) and another for school-aged children assessing health behavior and sleep hygiene (including Athens Insomnia Scale).
- Collected data from 516 kindergarten children and 547 primary/secondary school students.
- Assessed sleep duration, sleep quality, and common sleep practices like co-sleeping and screen time.
Main Results:
- Preschoolers averaged 10 hours 20 minutes of sleep on weekdays. Popular habits included reading (65.1%) and co-sleeping (42.8%).
- Teal reading positively impacted preschool sleep, while TV watching had negative effects.
- School-aged children slept 7 hours 31 minutes on weekdays, with 19% experiencing insomnia (Athens Insomnia Scale score 6.11). Good health behavior and sleep hygiene positively correlated with better sleep quality and duration.
Conclusions:
- Emphasizes the significant impact of sleep habits and hygiene on children's sleep.
- Highlights the need to promote healthy sleep practices, such as reading, and limit screen time.
- Urges parents and children to prioritize sleep and adopt effective sleep hygiene strategies for improved health outcomes.
Background And Purpose:
Objective - Our aim is to evaluate sleep habits, sleep quality and influencing factors among preschool- and schoolchildren.
Methods:
Two questionnaires were recorded. Questionnaire 1 dealt with sleeping habits, breastfeeding and health behavior of preschool children and infant, and it contained the abbreviated version of the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire. Questionnaire 2 dealt with health behavior and the application of sleep hygiene rules, as well as it contained the Athens Insomnia Scale. Subjects - We assessed a total of 1063 questionnaires: 516 kindergarten children participated in our online survey across the country; 547 primary and secondary school students participated in the 2nd questionnaire survey in Szolnok.
Results:
Parents' observation shows that the average nighttime sleeping time of kindergarten children is 10 hours 20 minutes on weekdays and 10 hours 36 minutes on weekends. The most popular sleeping habits in kindergarten age: teal reading (65.1%) and co-sleeping (42.8%). Parents of infants used breastfeeding (50.4%) and rocking (43.2%) most frequently before sleep. Co-sleeping has a positive influence on the length of lactation. Among the preschool sleeping habits we have proved a number of positive effects of teal reading, while watching television have negative effects. The sleep quality of school-age children according to the Athens Insomnia Scale is 6.11 points (SD: 4.11), 19% of the children are insomniac. Their sleep time is 7 hours 31 minutes on weekdays and 9 hours 30 minutes on weekends. The usage of good health behavior and sleep hygiene rules positively influence sleep quality and sleep duration.
Conclusion:
With our results, we would like to draw the attention of children and parents to the importance of sleeping and using sleep hygiene rules.
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