Vitamin D Makes Baby Sleep

. 2020 Jul 15;16(7):1119-1123.

doi: 10.5664/jcsm.8440.

Vitamin D and sleep in children

Affiliations

PMID: 32672533
PMCID: PMC7954071
DOI: 10.5664/jcsm.8440

Free PMC article

Vitamin D and sleep in children

Baha Al-Shawwa et al. J Clin Sleep Med. 2020 .

Free PMC article

Abstract

Study objectives: The impact of vitamin D on human health including sleep has been well described in adults. Its deficiency has been associated with multiple sleep disorders such as decrease in sleep duration, worsening of sleep quality, and even OSA. Such correlation is less evident in the pediatric population. In the current study, we examined the relationship between sleep architecture and vitamin D status in children referred to a sleep clinic.

Methods: This was a retrospective-cohort study in a tertiary care children's hospital over a 1-year period. Children who underwent an in-laboratory overnight-polysomnogram and had a 25-hydroxy vitamin D level obtained within 120 days of the sleep study were included. Patients with OSA or central sleep apnea were excluded. Data from polysomnograms and Pediatric Sleep Questionnaires were collected and analyzed.

Results: A total of 39 patients (mean age, 6.6 years; 46% female) were included in the study. Twenty (51%) patients had vitamin D deficiency (25-hydroxy vitamin D level < 30 ng/mL). Children with vitamin D deficiency had less total sleep time (470.3 minutes ± 35.6 vs 420.3 minutes ± 61.7; P = .004) and poorer sleep efficiency (91.9% ± 5.6% vs 84.5% ± 9.5%; P = .015) compared with children with sufficient vitamin D. In addition, children with vitamin D deficiency had later weekday bedtimes (21:02 Pm ± 1:01 vs 20:19 Pm ± 0:55; P = .037) and later weekend bedtimes (21:42 Pm ± 0:59 vs 20:47 Pm ± 1:08; P = .016) than children with sufficient vitamin D, with a tendency for later wake time that did not reach statistical significance. The remainder of the polysomnogram findings and Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire data were not different between the 2 groups.

Conclusions: Vitamin D deficiency in children was associated with objectively measured decreased sleep duration and poorer sleep efficiency. Furthermore, vitamin D deficiency was associated with delayed bedtimes, suggesting that vitamin D and circadian rhythm could be related. Future prospective studies in children would be helpful to learn if vitamin D deficiency leads to sleep disturbance or vice versa.

Keywords: children; circadian rhythm; delayed sleep phase; sleep architecture; sleep duration; sleep efficiency; vitamin D.

Conflict of interest statement

All authors have seen and approved the manuscript. Work for this study was performed at Children's Mercy Hospital. Dr. Ingram has served on a medical advisory board for Jazz Pharmaceuticals and received research support from Wake-Up-Narcolepsy. All remaining authors report no conflicts of interest.

Figures

**Figure 1. Mean bedtime during weekdays and weekends according to vitamin D status.**
Vitamin D deficiency defined as 25-OH-vitD < 30 ng/mL. *P < .05. Error bars are 95% confidence interval.

Cited by 1 article

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Voci A, Bruni O, Ferilli MAN, Papetti L, Tarantino S, Ursitti F, Sforza G, Vigevano F, Mazzone L, Valeriani M, Moavero R. Voci A, et al. J Clin Med. 2021 Aug 14;10(16):3575. doi: 10.3390/jcm10163575. J Clin Med. 2021. PMID: 34441871 Free PMC article.

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Vitamin D Makes Baby Sleep

Source: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32672533/#:~:text=Conclusions%3A%20Vitamin%20D%20deficiency%20in,circadian%20rhythm%20could%20be%20related.

Vitamin D Makes Baby Sleep