Sport participation, spontaneous physical activity and sleep in 11-13 years old children

Abstract

Background. Sport can be a regulator of sleep. Sleep norms have been suggested by experts to improve children’s health. Aims: 1) to assess how much sleep have the children practicing and not practicing sport outside the school and if there is a relationship between sleep and spontaneous PA levels; 2) if there the types of sport practiced influence sleep duration, 3) to assess if differences exist between normal level of physical activity in children taking part at sport outside school. Material and Methods. 166 male children (mean age 11±0,6 years) answered to a physical activity questionnaire. 139 were involved in sport practice outside school (PS group) and 27 of them not practiced any sport outside school but only take part in physical education classes (NS group). Results. 52,5% of children in S group and 81,4% in the NS group showed a shortening in sleep duration. Sport practiced didn’t influenced the sleep duration. Conclusions. A large percent of children non practicing sport sleeps less than the recommended standard for their age. Sport and sleep length are correlated, but any difference was found between the type of sport in influencing sleep hours. Level of spontaneous PA is not connected with sleep hours.