The sleep of school children

Abstract

Objective To describe and relate individual, family and environmental characteristics, sleep time and 6-sulfatoxymelatonin levels in schoolchildren. Methods This is a cross-sectional and prospective study, carried out in a private educational institution, with children ≥6 years old, after ethical approval. An actigraph and sleep diary were used to assess sleep for 15 days. On the last night, urine was collected to measure 6-sulfatoxymelatonin levels. Descriptive analysis and non-parametric tests were carried out on correlations, considering p<0.05 for significance. Results The sample consisted of 12 children with a mean age of 7.6 (±1.1) years. The mean total sleep time was 7.9 (±0.8) hours with an efficiency of 89.9% (±2.67). The 6-sulfatoxymelatonin level was 14.4 (±8.9) µg/dL, and the mean daily use of electronic devices was 2.8 (±1.8) hours. There was a significant difference in total sleep time between children who studied full or late. Conclusion Family habits influenced children’s sleeping habits, and prolonged use of electronic devices is a concerning factor. Children who study full time had less total sleep time than recommended for their age.