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Updated: Jun 11, 2025

Oral Biofilm Sampling for Microbiome Analysis in Healthy Children
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Oral Biofilm Sampling for Microbiome Analysis in Healthy Children

Published on: December 31, 2017

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Characteristics of gut flora in children who go to bed early versus late

Chunmei Mao1, Caiping Xi1, Rong Du1

  • 1Department of Child Rehabilitation, Gansu Rehabilitation Center Hospital, Lanzhou, 15214075468, Gansu, China.

Scientific Reports
|October 6, 2024
PubMed

Insights

Children

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Health
  • Microbiome Research
  • Sleep Science

Background:

  • Gut microbiota composition may influence various aspects of child development and health.
  • Sleep patterns are crucial for children's well-being, but their relationship with the gut microbiome is not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate differences in gut flora characteristics between healthy children with early versus late bedtime habits.
  • To explore potential links between sleep timing and gut microbiome diversity and function.

Main Methods:

  • Genome sequencing of gut flora from fecal samples of 88 healthy children (aged 2-14 years).
  • Analysis of microbial diversity (alpha and beta diversity) and abundance at genus and species levels.
  • Comparison of gut flora characteristics between early and late sleeper groups.

Main Results:

  • Statistically significant differences in beta diversity at the genus level were observed between early and late sleepers (P=0.045).
  • Alpha diversity indicators, including Simpson's and Shannon's indices, were significantly higher in the genus level for the study cohort (P=0.0011 and P=0.0013, respectively).
  • Variations in species diversity, abundance, and metabolic pathways were noted between the groups.

Conclusions:

  • Sleep timing in children is associated with distinct gut microbiome profiles.
  • Observed differences in gut flora may offer targets for future interventions.
  • Further research could explore pharmacological approaches to address sleep disorders by modulating the gut microbiome.

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