Sex differences in childhood sleep and health implications

Smidt, Stacey D. Elkhatib; Hitt, Talia A.; Zemel, Babette S.; Mitchell, Jonathan A.

doi:10.1080/03014460.2021.1998624

Cited by 16 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 172 publications

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“…The explanation for these differences could be the hormonal component of growth maturation. Sex hormones, estrogen, and progesterone, primarily in females, as well as testosterone, mostly in males, have been shown to have a certain influence on sleep quality [ 11 ]. Their levels change at different stages of life, with significant increases happening during puberty.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Nevertheless, there are conflicting results when it comes to understanding if sleep health differs between boys and girls in childhood. It is uncertain whether one gender is more or less likely to experience problems with children’s sleep [ 11 ] and that causes the necessity of further investigation regarding this issue. It still remains unknown whether there are differences or variations in the way that sex affects the interaction between physical activity and sleep quality.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Physical Activity and Sleep Quality in Spanish Primary School Children: Mediation of Sex and Maturational Stage

et al. 2023

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Background: sleep is a physiological process that is critical for physical and mental health in children. Childhood encompasses diverse developmental stages that may affect the impact of physical activity on sleep quality, which may also be influenced by sex. The purpose of this study was to examine the mediation effect of sex and, as well as maturational stage on the association between physical activity and sleep quality, among primary school children. Methods: this was a cross-sectional study of 954 Spanish primary school students (437 early childhood and 517 middle childhood) with a mean age of 10.5 ± 1.2 years. Participants reported their sleep quality using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and their physical activity levels using the Physical Activity Questionnaire. Results: our study found that physical activity is associated with improved sleep quality in children, particularly during middle childhood. Higher physical activity was linked to better sleep quality and reduced sleep latency (p = 0.044). Sleep quality was generally better in males than in females (p = 0.002) and was also better in early than middle childhood (p = 0.000). Conclusions: especially in middle childhood, physical activity promotes children’s sleep quality. Thus, educational institutions should promote or improve the implementation of physical activity in the school context in order to benefit children’s sleep quality and, hence, improve their quality of life and wellbeing.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Physical Activity and Sleep Quality in Spanish Primary School Children: Mediation of Sex and Maturational Stage

et al. 2023

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“… Werling and Geschwind, 2013 ). On the other hand, sleep disturbances appear to be more common in female with ASD ( Elkhatib Smidt et al, 2021 ). Prior work with the Cntnap2 KO mouse model found clear evidence for sex difference in home cage activity with robust hypo-activity in the males but not in the females ( Angelakos et al, 2019 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Long wavelength light reduces the negative consequences of dim light at night

Wang

Luk

et al. 2023

Neurobiology of Disease

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“…Sleep duration was significantly longer in girls and children compared to boys and adolescents, respectively, which aligns with other empirical accelerometry studies [ 16 , 24 , 58 ] and a 2018 meta-analysis of accelerometer-assessed sleep [ 59 ]. A recent narrative review however, concluded that the direction of sex differences in children’s and adolescents’ sleep duration is equivocal and largely influenced by methodological differences and participant characteristics [ 60 ]. Age-related differences in sleep are more consistent [ 59 ] and reflect the delay in the 24-hour rest-activity rhythm sleep phase during adolescence (i.e., by later sleep and waking times [ 24 , 25 ]).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Characteristics of 24-hour movement behaviours and their associations with mental health in children and adolescents

Fairclough

Clifford

Brown

et al. 2023

JASSB

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Background Time-use estimates are typically used to describe 24-hour movement behaviours. However, these behaviours can additionally be characterised by other easily measured metrics. These include sleep quality (e.g., sleep efficiency), 24-hour rest-activity rhythmicity (e.g., between-day rhythm variability), and directly measured acceleration metrics (e.g., intensity gradient). Associations between these characteristics and youth mental health are unclear. This study aimed to [1] compare 24-hour movement behaviour characteristics by sex and age groups, [2] determine which movement behaviour characteristics were most strongly associated with mental health outcomes, and [3] investigate the optimal time-use behaviour compositions for different mental health outcomes. Methods Three-hundred-and-one children and adolescents (age 9–13 y; 60% girls) wore accelerometers for 24-hours/day over 7-days. Overall mental health, externalising, and internalising problems were self-reported using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. 24-hour movement behaviour characteristics were categorised as time-use estimates, sleep quality, 24-hour activity rhythmicity, and directly measured acceleration. Linear mixed models and compositional data analysis were used to analyse the data in alignment with the study aims. Results Time-use estimates, directly measured accelerations, and 24-hour rest-activity rhythm metrics indicated that children were significantly more physically active (p = .01-<0.001) than adolescents. Children were also less sedentary (p < .01), slept longer (p = .02-0.01), and had lower sleep efficiency. Boys were significantly more active than girls (p < .001) who in turn accrued more time in sleep (p = .02). The timing of peak activity was significantly later among adolescents (p = .047). Overall mental health and externalising problems were significantly associated with sleep, sedentary time, sleep efficiency, amplitude, and inter-daily stability (p = .04-0.01). The optimal time-use compositions were specific to overall mental health and externalising problems and were characterised by more sleep, light and vigorous physical activity, and less sedentary time and moderate physical activity than the sample’s mean time-use composition. Conclusions Extracting and examining multiple movement behaviour characteristics from 24-hour accelerometer data can provide a more rounded picture of the interplay between different elements of movement behaviours and their relationships with mental health than single characteristics alone, such as time-use estimates. Applying multiple movement behaviour characteristics to the translation of research findings may enhance the impact of the data for research users.

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Sex differences in childhood sleep and health implications

Cited by 16 publications

References 172 publications

Physical Activity and Sleep Quality in Spanish Primary School Children: Mediation of Sex and Maturational Stage

Physical Activity and Sleep Quality in Spanish Primary School Children: Mediation of Sex and Maturational Stage

Long wavelength light reduces the negative consequences of dim light at night

Characteristics of 24-hour movement behaviours and their associations with mental health in children and adolescents

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