Bedtime activities, sleep environment, and sleep/wake patterns of Japanese elementary school children.
Bedtime activities, sleep environment, and their impact on sleep/wake patterns were assessed in 509 elementary school children (6-12 years of age; 252 males and 257 females). Television viewing, playing video games, and surfing the Internet had negative impact on sleep/wake parameters. Moreover, presence of a television set or video game in the child's bedroom increased their activity before bedtime. Time to return home later than 8 p.m. from after-school activity also had a negative impact on sleep/wake patterns. Health care practitioners should be aware of the potential negative impact of television, video games, and the Internet before bedtime, and also the possibility that late after-school activity can disturb sleep/wake patterns.
Japan Somnology Center, Neuropsychiatric Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan. oka@somnology.com
Yasunori
Y
Oka
Shuhei
S
Suzuki
Yuich
Y
Inoue
D002648:Child; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D007564:Japan; D007899:Leisure Activities; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D012892:Sleep Deprivation / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D012931:Social Environment; D013690:Television; D018910:Video Games