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Longitudinal Associations Between Physical Activity and Sleep Duration in Infants and Toddlers

Agnes G Bucko1, Bridget Armstrong2, Kerry L McIver2,3

  • 1College of Health and Human Services, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC,USA.

Pediatric Exercise Science
|September 10, 2024
PubMed

Insights

Higher physical activity (PA) in young children was linked to less daytime sleep. However, this association with sleep duration was not clinically significant in infants and toddlers.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric sleep science
  • Childhood physical activity research

Background:

  • Understanding the relationship between physical activity (PA) and sleep duration in early childhood is crucial for developmental health.
  • Longitudinal data on this association is limited, particularly in the first two years of life.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the longitudinal associations between average physical activity (PA) levels in children and their sleep duration.
  • To determine if changes in PA levels over time correlate with changes in sleep duration.

Main Methods:

  • 108 children were studied at ages 6, 12, 18, and 24 months.
  • Physical activity (PA) was measured using accelerometry, and sleep duration (daytime, nighttime, 24-hour) was assessed via actigraphy.
  • Linear mixed models analyzed the associations between PA levels and sleep duration over time.

Main Results:

  • Higher overall physical activity (PA) levels were associated with shorter daytime sleep duration in children.
  • The association between a child's PA levels and their total 24-hour sleep duration diminished as they approached 24 months of age.

Conclusions:

  • While physical activity (PA) is generally beneficial for development, its impact on sleep duration appears minimal in very young children.
  • The findings suggest that the relationship between PA and sleep duration may not be clinically significant during infancy and toddlerhood.
Abstract

Keywords:
accelerometryactigraphy

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