Lebourgeois Monique K, Wright Kenneth P, Lebourgeois Hannah B, Jenni Oskar G
Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder ; Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University.
Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder.
Mind Brain Educ. 2013 Dec;7(4):234-242. doi: 10.1111/mbe.12032.
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 ( = .62) and poorer success in falling asleep ( = -.59). Children whose bedtimes were closer to their DLMO had longer sleep-onset latencies ( = .72) and increased bedtime resistance ( = -.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.
夜间入睡困难（即就寝抗拒、入睡延迟）约发生在25%的幼儿中，且与注意力、行为和情绪问题相关。我们研究了内源性昼夜节律褪黑素相位的时间（即暗光褪黑素开始分泌时间；DLMO）及其与父母选择的就寝时间的关系是否与夜间入睡行为有关。14名有规律午睡的学龄前儿童（8名女性；30 - 36个月）参与了一项为期6天的方案（父母报告夜间入睡情况、通过活动记录仪评估入睡潜伏期、晚间唾液DLMO）。平均DLMO时钟时间为晚上7:40 ± 00:48分钟，在就寝时间（熄灯）前29分钟 ± 32分钟出现。DLMO较晚的儿童入睡潜伏期更长（r = .62），入睡成功率更低（r = -.59）。就寝时间更接近其DLMO的儿童入睡潜伏期更长（r = .72），就寝抗拒增加（r = -.54）。我们得出结论，父母选择的就寝时间与儿童昼夜生理之间的不一致可能导致幼儿夜间入睡困难的发生。
