Associations Between Preschoolers' Daytime and Nighttime Sleep Parameters

Abstract

This article examined associations between preschoolers' daytime and nighttime sleep parameters. A total of 63 preschoolers (65% boys; age: M = 4.15, SD = 0.62) participated. Sleep was assessed via actigraphy for 4 days and nights. Results are among the first to demonstrate significant associations between sleep parameters (especially sleep quality indexes) examined actigraphically at home and in child care contexts. Findings indicate that poor sleep quality indexed by greater sleep activity and awakenings, as well as less efficient sleep, were associated across nighttime sleep at home and daytime sleep in child care. Understanding connections between sleep across contexts has important implications for child care providers and parents as they attempt to facilitate child sleep during a developmental period of rapidly changing sleep patterns.

Notes

^aDaytime sleep minutes are based on all children's data, regardless of whether they had napped; those who did not nap received a score of zero on pertinent days. BMI = body mass index.

*p < .05.

**p < .01.

***p < .001.

*p < .05.

**p < .001.

^aDaytime sleep minutes are based on all children's data, regardless of whether they had napped; those who did not nap received a score of zero on pertinent days.

*p < .05.

**p < .01.

***p < .001.

^aDaytime sleep minutes are based on all children's data, regardless of whether they had napped; those who did not nap received a score of zero on pertinent days.

*p < .05.

**p < .01.

***p < .001.

†p < .10.

^aCoded as 1 = female, 0 = male.

*p < .01.

**p < .001.