Lower physical activity is associated with daytime sleepiness in children aged 9–12 years

Abstract

This study clarified the prevalence of daytime sleepiness in fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-grade children and examined the association between physical activity (PA) and daytime sleepiness in children aged 9–12 years. This cross-sectional study included 314 children (mean age ± standard deviation: 10.5 ± 1.0 years; male: 52.9%) enrolled in two public elementary schools in Kobe, Japan. PA was assessed using the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Older Children. The outcome was self-reported daytime sleepiness. The prevalence of daytime sleepiness in fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-grade children were 10.8%, 25.2%, and 28.6%, respectively. In univariate analysis, subjects with reported daytime sleepiness had lower PA levels than those without daytime sleepiness (odds ratio (OR) = .67; 95% confidence interval (CI) = .47–.95). Multiple logistic regression analysis demonstrated that lower PA was significantly associated with daytime sleepiness after adjusting for multiple confounders (OR = .54; 95% CI = .37–.81). The prevalence of daytime sleepiness in fifth and sixth grades was higher than fourth grade. Furthermore, this study clarified the significant association between PA and daytime sleepiness and suggested that PA could be one of the factors to prevent daytime sleepiness in children aged 9–12 years.

Associations between sleepiness, sleep duration, and academic outcomes in early adolescence

“…Results from the present study provide further support for later school start times to allow more sleep, reduce sleepiness, and improve academic outcomes in adolescents. Also, evidence supports the important role that physical activity may play in improving sleep and reducing daytime sleepiness (Isa et al, 2019;Master et al, 2019). As such, school administrators should support physical education programs in their schools.…”

“…There are fewer studies in adolescents however, one study found that children who participated in classroom activities (e.g., role-playing, games, personal goal setting) focused on the benefits of good sleep hygiene went to bed earlier on school and weekend nights and had better self-reported sleep hygiene (Wolfson et al, 2015). Regarding daytime sleepiness, Isa and colleagues investigated the prevalence of daytime sleepiness and the association of physical activity among children aged 9-12 (Isa et al, 2019). Results showed that older students had higher levels of daytime sleepiness.…”

Effects of a blended classroom-based intervention on aerobic fitness, motor skills, inhibition, and daytime sleepiness among Hong Kong children

“…As an emergent field of study, most studies have focused on exploring the associations between PA, sleep, ( 61 – 63 ) and children's sleep behavior to see whether they meet the 24-h Movement Guidelines for Children and Youth ( 9 , 64 – 66 ). Few studies have focused on the intervention's effect on daytime sleepiness ( 67 ). There is also a need to incorporate specific sleep interventions to enhance the co-development of PA, sedentary behavior, and sleep to enhance children's physical and psychological health with regard to aerobic fitness, motor skills, and cognitive function ( 68 – 70 ).…”

“…There is also a need to incorporate specific sleep interventions to enhance the co-development of PA, sedentary behavior, and sleep to enhance children's physical and psychological health with regard to aerobic fitness, motor skills, and cognitive function ( 68 – 70 ). Previous research investigating the relationship between PA and daytime sleepiness may provide evidence that the two domains are significantly associated, suggesting that PA could be one of the factors preventing daytime sleepiness in children aged 9–12 years ( 67 ). Considering the harmful effects of excessive daytime sleepiness among children and adolescents ( 71 ), the current blended intervention combining PA promotion and strategies to reduce sedentary time may be timely in ameliorating excessive daytime sleepiness in young children.…”

Predictores de la somnolencia, satisfacción con los estudios y el cansancio emocional en estudiantes con altas capacidades intelectuales durante la pandemia COVID-19

“…A un nivel explicativo, los resultados indican que la actividad física presenta una influencia negativa sobre la somnolencia, el cansancio emocional y la satisfacción con los estudios. Acerca de la somnolencia, estos resultados son similares a los reportados en otros estudios, donde una actividad física baja se asocia significativamente con un mayor grado de somnolencia (Gaina et al, 2007;McClain et al, 2014) y que además, la actividad física puede ser considerada una variable predictora de los niveles bajos de somnolencia en escolares (Isa et al, 2019). Respecto al cansancio emocional, en algunos estudios también se reportó que niveles recomendados de actividad física tienen un efecto en la reducción de problemas emocionales (Ganesh et al, 2020) o que específicamente predice el cansancio emocional (Carson et al, 2010), mostrando así que las actividades físicas se vinculan con experiencias emocionales positivas (Hogan et al, 2015).…”