Sleep Pattern Evaluation of 8 to 12-Year-Old Students in Shiraz

The vital role of sleep and sleep disorders in children has been proven. Children, who suffer from sleep disorders, experience more behavioral problems, depression, and anxiety in childhood, learning disabilities, and emotional development impairment. The aim of this study was to evaluate sleep habits of primary school students in Shiraz and its relationship with demographic factors.
This cross-sectional study was conducted on 200 students (100 female students and 100 male students) aged 8 to 12 selected from four (one to four) different educational districts of Shiraz during the academic year 2016 - 2017. The data were collected using the CRSP questionnaire. The sleep questionnaire and a demographic questionnaire were filled out by asking children to answer the questions. Descriptive statistics, T-test, Spearman correlation coefficient, and other statistical methods were used in this study. Data were analyzed using SPSS ver.24 software and the significance level was less than 0.5.
The results of the study indicated that children sleep duration varied from six to 13 hours with an average of 9.18 ± 1.5 hours. 50% of children had less than nine hours of sleep and only 40.5% of them had nine to 11 hours of proper sleep. The median of bedtime was 10:00 p.m. and a significant percentage of children (25%) went to bed after 11:00 p.m. There was a significant relationship between age, bedtime, and sleep duration. Furthermore, boys displayed significantly longer sleep duration in comparison with girls.
According to the results of the study, a significant percentage of children did not have adequate sleep at night. As a result, it is necessary to pay more attention to children’s sleep habits and sleep patterns. It is suggested providing parents and children with adequate information about sleep patterns, sleep health, and sleep disorders and even giving them appropriate strategies.