A multi-step pathway connecting short sleep duration to daytime somnolence, reduced attention and poor academic performance. An exploratory cross-sectional study in teenagers.

SANTIAGO PÉREZ LLORET; ALEJANDRO VIDELA; ALBA RICHAUDEAU; DANIEL E. VIGO; MALCO ROSSI; DANIEL P. CARDINALI; DANIEL PÉREZ CHADA

JOURNAL OF CLINICAL SLEEP MEDICINE

AMER ACAD SLEEP MEDICINE

Lugar: Nueva York; Año: 2013 vol. 9 p. 469 - 473

1550-9389

Background: A multi-step causality pathway connecting short sleep duration to daytime somnolence and sleepiness leading to reduced attention and poor academic performance as the final result, can be envisaged. However this hypothesis has never been explored. Objective: To explore consecutive correlations between sleep duration, daytime somnolence, attention levels and academic performance in a sample of school-aged teenagers. Methods: We carried out a survey assessing sleep duration and daytime somnolence using the Pediatric Daytime Sleepiness Scale (PDSS). Sleep duration variables included weekdays? total sleep time, usual bedtimes and absolute weekday-to-weekend sleep time difference. Attention was assessed by d2 test and by Code subtest from the WISC-IV scale. Academic performance was obtained from literature and math grades. Structural Equation Modeling was used to assess the relationships between these variables, while controlling for confounding effects of other variables. Standardized Regression weights (swr) for relationships between these variables are reported. Results: Study sample included 1194 teenagers (Mean age: 15 years; range: 13 - 17 y). Sleep duration was inversely associated with daytime somnolence (swr=-0.36 p