Study of sleep pattern in children aged 1-12 years attending OPD at tertiary care hospital, Puducherry, India
Background: Children differ in their sleep pattern from adults and within their developmental age groups. Good sleep habits help them in better sleep outcomes. Inadequate sleep can contribute to various health issues. Hence, this study was carried out to find out sleep pattern in children and identify factors affecting it so that suitable measures can be taken to ensure good sleep hygiene in children.Methods: This was a cross-sectional observational study done in children aged 1-12 years. Every 5th child who attended OPD were included. Children who were very sick or had chronic illness or pain were excluded. Details pertaining to sleep was recorded after written parental consent.Results: The total sample size was 650. The mean age was 6.25±3.2 years. The mean bed time and wake up time was 9.18 pm±(1.02) and 6.41 am±(0.85) respectively. The mean night sleep duration was 9.38±1.05 hours. Co-sleeping was 97.5%. Sleep problem was seen in 51.1%. Screen time >2 hours contributed to late bedtime and insomnia. Reduced physical activity/exercise was significantly associated with sleep problems.Conclusions: Sleep problems and poor sleep habits are common among children. Increased screen time and reduced physical activities in children contribute to poor sleep habits and sleep problem.