Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children’s sleep habits: an ECHO study

Abstract

Background Sleep in childhood is affected by behavioral, environmental, and parental factors. We propose that these factors were altered during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study investigates sleep habit changes during the pandemic in 528 children 4–12 years old in the US, leveraging data from the Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program. Methods Data collection occurred in July 2019–March 2020 (pre-pandemic) and two pandemic periods: December 2020–April 2021 and May–August 2021. Qualitative interviews were performed in 38 participants. Results We found no changes in sleep duration, but a shift to later sleep midpoint during the pandemic periods. There was an increase in latency at the first pandemic collection period but no increase in the frequency of bedtime resistance, and a reduced frequency of naps during the pandemic. Qualitative interviews revealed that parents prioritized routines to maintain sleep duration but were more flexible regarding timing. Children from racial/ethnic minoritized communities slept less at night, had later sleep midpoint, and napped more frequently across all collection periods, warranting in-depth investigation to examine and address root causes. Conclusions The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted children sleep, but parental knowledge of the importance of sleep might have played a significant protective role. Impact During the COVID-19 pandemic, US children changed their sleep habits, going to bed and waking up later, but their sleep duration did not change. Sleep latency was longer. Parental knowledge of sleep importance might have played a protective role. Regardless of data collection periods, children from racial/ethnic minoritized communities slept less and went to bed later. This is one of the first study on this topic in the US, including prospective pre-pandemic qualitative and quantitative data on sleep habits. Our findings highlight the pandemic long-term impact on childhood sleep. Results warrants further investigations on implications for overall childhood health.

Adolescents’ Lifestyle Determinants in Relation to Their Nutritional Status during COVID-19 Pandemic Distance Learning in the North-Western Part of Romania—A Cross-Sectional Study

“…Although intrinsic factors regulate sleep, extrinsic factors are essential in determining sleep duration, timing, and quality. Behavioral factors (e.g., screen time, PA, bedtime routine), physical and environmental factors (e.g., light and noise exposure), and parental factors (e.g., parental child attachment, parental education, parental stress) all affect the sleep health of children [ 50 ]. The recommended sleep amount for school-age children of 6–13 years of The Sleep Foundation Organization is about 9–11 h per night [ 51 , 52 ].…”

Neuropsychological Symptoms and Quality of Life during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Children: A Survey in a Pediatric Population in the Abruzzo Region, Italy

“…The reduction in outdoor activities on one side and the increased exposure to light from screens and stress on the other may have been crucial [55][56][57]. In other studies, no overall change in sleep duration was found, despite a delay in bedtime and waketime, with a likely protective effect of parental education [58]. By contrast, some authors highlighted improved sleep quality in adolescents and young adults due to the more flexible virtual learning programs and remote working [59].…”

The feasibility of remote measurement of infant sleep and motor development

“…In 2021 in the United States, only about 36% of people had an annual household income greater than $100,000 (Semega & Kollar, 2022). In addition, we lacked data about race and ethnicity from most of our sample, so we were unable to test for cultural differences that can impact infant sleep (e.g., Ash et al, 2019;Giannotti & Cortesi, 2009;Lucchini et al, 2022). One additional limitation is that we are unsure why some infants were missing sleep data for certain nights.…”