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Sufficient sleep duration in autistic children and the role of physical activity

Stacey D Elkhatib Smidt1,2,3, Nalaka Gooneratne3, Edward S Brodkin3

  • 1Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, USA.

Autism : the International Journal of Research and Practice
|January 7, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Higher physical activity correlates with better sleep in children. However, this link is less clear for autistic children, particularly those with severe autism or females in younger age groups.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Health
  • Neurodevelopmental Disorders
  • Sleep Science

Background:

  • Establishing the link between physical activity and sleep duration in children is crucial.
  • Understanding this relationship in autistic children is an under-researched area.
  • Existing research suggests physical activity benefits sleep, but specific populations require further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between physical activity levels and sufficient sleep duration in children aged 6-17.
  • To examine how this association differs in autistic children compared to neurotypical children.
  • To identify specific subgroups of autistic children where the physical activity-sleep association may be weaker or absent.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized existing data from the 2018 National Survey of Children's Health.
  • Included caregivers of children aged 6-17, with a focus on autistic children.
  • Assessed physical activity (days active) and sleep duration, determining 'sufficient sleep' based on age-recommended hours.

Main Results:

  • Higher physical activity levels were associated with sufficient sleep duration in the general child population.
  • This association was weaker in autistic children.
  • The association was not observed in autistic children with severe autism spectrum disorder, female autistic children, and autistic children aged 6-12.

Conclusions:

  • Physical activity is a potential strategy for improving sleep duration in children.
  • Personalized sleep interventions may be necessary for specific subgroups of autistic children.
  • Further research is needed to understand and address sleep challenges in autistic populations.
Abstract

Keywords:
adolescentsautism spectrum disordersschool-age childrensleep

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