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Impact of sleep duration on daytime sleepiness in children: A meta-analysis

Anosha Altaf1, Jayne Spiller1

  • 1School of Psychology and Vision Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK.

Sleep Medicine Reviews
|October 9, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Shorter sleep duration in children and adolescents is linked to increased daytime sleepiness. Adolescents appear particularly vulnerable to the effects of insufficient sleep, highlighting the importance of adequate sleep for cognitive function.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Sleep Medicine
  • Cognitive Neuroscience
  • Developmental Psychology

Background:

  • Previous research links shorter sleep duration to poorer cognitive function in children.
  • The impact of short sleep duration on daytime sleepiness, compared to sufficient or extended sleep, remains less understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To systematically review and meta-analyze studies investigating the association between short sleep duration and daytime sleepiness in children and adolescents.
  • To determine if short sleep duration increases daytime sleepiness compared to sufficient or extended sleep durations.

Main Methods:

  • A systematic literature search was conducted to identify relevant studies.
  • A meta-analysis was performed on 17 selected studies, excluding two sleep deprivation studies.
  • Statistical analysis included calculating the standardized mean difference (SMD) and exploring potential moderators.

Main Results:

  • Excluding sleep deprivation studies, short sleep duration was significantly associated with higher daytime sleepiness (SMD: 0.74, 95% CI 0.45; 1.02).
  • The extent of sleep restriction varied significantly among studies and moderated the effect size.
  • Adolescents showed a greater effect size compared to children, indicating heightened vulnerability.

Conclusions:

  • Short sleep duration is associated with increased daytime sleepiness in pediatric populations.
  • Adolescents are particularly susceptible to the adverse effects of insufficient sleep on daytime alertness.
  • Further research is warranted to explore the mediating role of daytime sleepiness in the sleep duration-cognition relationship.

Keywords:
ChildrenDaytime sleepinessMeta-analysisSleep duration

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