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Temporal Associations between Actigraphy-Measured Daytime Movement Behaviors and Nap Sleep in Early Childhood

Christine W St Laurent1, Jennifer F Holmes1, Rebecca M C Spencer1,2

  • 1Department of Psychological and Brain Science, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003, USA.

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
|November 26, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Young children’s morning movement behaviors, like less sedentary time and more physical activity, increase the likelihood of napping. Napping also reciprocally influenced children’s subsequent movement behaviors, though effect sizes were small.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Sleep Science
  • Childhood Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior Research
  • Behavioral Pediatrics

Background:

  • Understanding the interplay between daily movement behaviors and sleep patterns in young children is crucial for promoting healthy development.
  • Previous research has primarily focused on the impact of movement on nighttime sleep, with less attention paid to napping behavior.
  • Daily variations in physical activity and sedentary time may influence children's propensity to nap.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the daily associations between daytime movement behaviors (sedentary time and physical activity) and nap sleep in preschool-aged children.
  • To examine the temporal relationships between morning movement behaviors and the likelihood and characteristics of napping on the same day.
  • To explore the reciprocal relationship between napping and subsequent day's movement behaviors.

Main Methods:

  • A micro-longitudinal study involving 298 children (mean age 51.0 months).
  • Objective assessment of sedentary time, physical activity, and nap sleep (duration, efficiency) using wrist-based actigraphy over approximately 10 days.
  • Multilevel regression models were employed to analyze within-person temporal associations, controlling for covariates like overnight sleep, age, sex, and socioeconomic status.

Main Results:

  • Less sedentary time and greater physical activity in the morning were associated with a higher likelihood of napping on the same day.
  • Movement behaviors were not significantly associated with nap sleep duration or efficiency.
  • On days when children napped, they exhibited less sedentary time and more physical activity the following day.
  • Reciprocal relationships were observed between napping and movement behaviors, but effect sizes were small.

Conclusions:

  • Daily movement behaviors, particularly reduced sedentary time and increased physical activity in the morning, can influence the likelihood of napping in young children.
  • Napping also appears to have a reciprocal effect on subsequent daytime movement patterns, suggesting a bidirectional relationship.
  • While statistically significant, the small effect sizes indicate that other factors likely play a substantial role in nap regulation and movement behaviors.

Keywords:
early childhoodnapphysical activitysedentarysleep

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