Dissonance Between Parent‐Selected Bedtimes and Young Children's Circadian Physiology Influences Nighttime Settling Difficulties. Issue 4 (December 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: LeBourgeois, Monique K.; Wright, Kenneth P.; LeBourgeois, Hannah B.; Jenni, Oskar G.
• Is Part Of: Mind, brain and education. Volume 7:Issue 4(2013)
• Page Start: 234
• Page End: 242
• Publication Date: 2013-12
• Subjects: Cognitive learning -- Periodicals; Education -- Research -- Periodicals; Developmental psychobiology -- Periodicals; Cognitive neuroscience -- Periodicals; Cognitive science -- Periodicals; Apprentissage cognitif -- Périodiques; Éducation -- Recherche -- Périodiques; Psychobiologie du développement -- Périodiques; Neurosciences cognitives -- Périodiques; Sciences cognitives -- Périodiques; 612.8233
• DOI: 10.1111/mbe.12032
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1751-2271

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="mbe12032-abs-0001"> <title>ABSTRACT</title> <p id="mbe12032-para-0001">Nighttime settling difficulties (i.e., bedtime resistance, sleep‐onset delay) occur in about 25% of young children and are associated with attentional, behavioral, and emotional problems. We examined whether the timing of internal (endogenous) circadian melatonin phase (i.e., dim light melatonin onset; DLMO) and its relationship with parent‐selected bedtimes were related to nighttime settling behaviors. Fourteen regularly napping preschoolers (8 females; 30–36 months) participated in a 6‐day protocol (parent‐report of nighttime settling, actigraphic assessment of sleep onset latency, evening salivary DLMO). Average DLMO clock time was 07:40 p.m. ± 00:48 minutes, occurring 29 minutes ± 32 minutes prior to bedtime (lights‐out). Children with later DLMOs had longer sleep‐onset latencies (<italic>r</italic> = .62) and poorer success in falling asleep (<italic>r</italic> = −.59). Children whose bedtimes were closer to their DLMO had longer sleep‐onset latencies (<italic>r</italic> = .72) and increased bedtime resistance (<italic>r</italic> = −.54). We conclude that dissonance between parent‐selected bedtimes and children's circadian physiology may contribute to the development of nighttime settling difficulties in early childhood.</p> </abstract>