Sleep pattern and common sleep problems of school children in Birjand

Sleep habits affect childhood health. Paying no attention to sleep problems can have a negative effect on children's health and performance, both at home and school. Sleep disorders have a relationship with illnesses, imperfect operations, decrease of life quality, and increase in living costs. The purpose of the present study was to pinpoint sleep pattern and sleep disorders in elementary school children in Birjand. In this descriptive and comparative study, 620 elementary students, who did not have any underlying diseases and had no history of taking psychogenic drugs, were selected through multi-stage randomized sampling were assessed. Assessment tool for sleep disorders in children (Bear's questionnaire) was filled out by parents. The obtained data was analysed by means of SPSS software (V: 15); and statistical tests t and c 2 at the significant level P<0.05. Out of 620 students, 302 (48.7%) were boys and 318 (51.3%) were girls. Mean age of them was 9.08 ± 6.1 yrs. The most common sleep problems in children were: resistance to going to bed (20.5 %) and chatting while sleeping (11.1%). Sleep duration (in girls), resistance to sleep, enuresis, and noisy breathing (in boys) had a higher relative frequency. The most prevalent sleep problems in children were resistance to going to bed and chatting while sleeping which require attention, following up, and treatment in order to prevent probable following complications.