Association between iron deficiency anemia and sleep duration in the first year of life

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the association between iron deficiency anemia and sleep duration in the first year of life. Methods: A total of 123 infants were investigated, with sleep being evaluated at 3, 6, and 12 months of age and anemia at birth and 6 months. The cutoff points for anemia and short sleep duration were hemoglobin <11 g/dL (at birth and/or 6 months) and <10 h (at 3, 6, and 12 months), respectively. The comparison of the average sleep time between infants with and without anemia was performed using the Student’s t-test, and logistic regression models were also used to verify differences in the sleep duration (short/not short) between the groups. Linear regression analyses were conducted to determine the association between sleep duration and hemoglobin values. The analyses were adjusted for potential confounders. Results: Children with anemia were more likely to be short sleepers [odds ratio (95% confidence interval (CI)): 4.02 (1.02–15.76); p≤0.05], and for each unit increase in hemoglobin values, the sleep duration increased by 16.2 min [β (95%CI): 0.27 (0.00–0.55); p≤0.05), regardless of family income, maternal schooling, gender, and body mass index at birth. Conclusions: Our results suggest that iron deficiency anemia is associated with short sleep duration in the first year of life and indicate the need for longitudinal investigations, with longer follow-up, to verify the impact of anemia on sleep duration at subsequent ages.

Iron deficiency and changes in sleep: two conditions that compromise child growth and development

“…The article by Rodrigues Junior et al addresses two frequent and important aspects that are often neglected in infant health care: iron deficiency anemia and sleep hygiene. 1 The study revealed that children with anemia were more likely to have short sleep duration, demonstrating that the concomitance of these factors can compromise the development of the central nervous system.…”