Manipulating sleep duration alters emotional functioning and cognitive performance in children

Objective To examine the impact of sleep duration on emotional functioning and cognitive performance in children. Methods 32 children (8-12 years) wore actigraphs for 3 weeks. Following a week of typical sleep, each child was randomly assigned to go to bed 1 hr earlier for 4 nights (Long Sleep) or 1 hr later for 4 nights (Short Sleep) relative to their typical bedtime. Each child then completed the opposite condition. After each week, emotional and cognitive functioning were assessed using objective and subjective measures. Results Results revealed impaired functioning in the Short-relative to the Long-Sleep condition on measures of positive affective response, emotion regulation, short-term memory, working memory, and aspects of attention. Conclusions Results suggest that even modest differences in sleep duration over just a few nights can have significant consequences for children's daytime functioning. These findings demonstrate the important impact of sleep duration on children's daytime functioning.