Daytime Physical Activity and Sleep in Children
Author Information
Author(s): Pesonen Anu-Katriina, Sjöstén Noora M., Matthews Karen A., Heinonen Kati, Martikainen Silja, Kajantie Eero, Tammelin Tuija, Eriksson Johan G., Strandberg Timo, Räikkönen Katri
Primary Institution: University of Helsinki
Hypothesis
Higher physical activity during the day would lead to better sleep quantity and quality that night in children.
Conclusion
A higher level of physical activity during the waking hours was related to shorter sleep duration, lower sleep efficiency, and higher fragmentation of sleep that night in school-aged children.
Supporting Evidence
- For each one standard deviation unit of increased physical activity during the day, sleep duration decreased by 0.30 SD units.
- Moderate to vigorous physical activity in the evening shortened sleep latency.
- Poorer sleep at night was related to higher physical activity the following day.
Takeaway
If kids are very active during the day, they might not sleep as well at night, and if they don't sleep well, they might be less active the next day.
Methodology
Physical activity and sleep were measured by actigraphs for an average of one week in an epidemiological cohort study of 275 eight-year-old children.
Potential Biases
Self-reported measures of sleep and physical activity may not accurately reflect objective measurements.
Limitations
The study sample may not represent the general population due to higher education backgrounds of the families involved.
Participant Demographics
Children aged 8 years, with a sample of 50.7% girls.
Statistical Information
P-Value
<0.001
Confidence Interval
95% CI −0.36 to −0.25
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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