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The Sleep Environment, Napping, and Sleep Outcomes among Urban Children With and Without Asthma
Anna J Yeo1,2,3, Anna Cohenuram1, Shira Dunsiger4
1Bradley Hasbro Children's Research Center, Hasbro Children's Hospital, Providence, RI, USA.
Insights
Environmental noise and light negatively impact urban children's sleep, particularly for Latino children. Daytime napping mediates the link between nighttime noise and shorter sleep duration, suggesting targeted interventions are needed.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Pediatric Sleep Science
- Urban Health Disparities
Background:
- Urban children, especially those with asthma, face higher risks of poor sleep and illness.
- Urban environmental factors like noise and light, linked to poverty, can disrupt children's sleep.
- Asthma and race/ethnicity may influence how environmental factors affect sleep outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between environmental factors (noise, temperature, light) and sleep outcomes in urban children with and without asthma.
- To determine if daytime napping mediates the association between environmental exposures and sleep.
- To examine if these associations differ based on asthma status or race/ethnicity.
Main Methods:
- Study included 381 urban children aged 7-9 years, with and without asthma, from Latino, Black, and non-Latino White backgrounds.
- Caregivers reported on environmental factors and napping habits.
- Objective sleep measures (duration, efficiency, awakenings) were collected using actigraphy.
Main Results:
- Noise and light exposure were linked to poorer sleep outcomes specifically in Latino children, irrespective of asthma status.
- Nighttime noise exposure correlated with increased daytime napping across all participants.
- Increased daytime napping was associated with shorter nighttime sleep duration.
Conclusions:
- Environmental noise and light significantly impact urban children's sleep quality.
- Racial/ethnic disparities exist in the effects of environmental exposures on sleep.
- Daytime napping may mediate the relationship between environmental factors and sleep, informing potential intervention strategies.
Objectives:
Children with asthma living in U.S. urban neighborhoods experience increased risk for asthma morbidity and poor sleep outcomes. In addition to asthma, environmental factors (e.g. noise, uncomfortable temperature, light exposure) related to urban poverty may disturb children's sleep. This study examined the association between environmental factors and sleep outcomes among urban children with and without asthma, and whether napping underlies the environment-sleep link. Additionally, the study tested whether these associations differed by health status (i.e. asthma) or race/ethnicity.
Method:
Participants included urban children aged 7-9 years with (N = 251) and without (N = 130) asthma from Latino, Black, or non-Latino White (NLW) background. Caregivers reported sleep environmental factors and naps. Sleep duration, efficiency, and nightly awakenings were assessed via actigraphy.
Results:
Regardless of health status, frequent exposure to noise and light was associated with poorer sleep outcomes only among Latino children. In the full sample with and without asthma, noise exposure during nighttime sleep was related to more frequent daytime naps, which were linked to shorter nighttime sleep duration.
Conclusions:
Exposure to noise and light may play a particularly influential role in shaping urban children's sleep outcomes. Racial/ethnic differences and the potential mediating role of napping in this environment-sleep association may inform tailored interventions.
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