Sleep Impacts Health Complaints of Children

(December 17, 2009) - When children don't sleep well (Read about "Sleep"), they are more likely to have health complaints. Researchers asked parents if their children had problems sleeping. When the parent reported that the child had insomnia issues, the child was 3.3 times more likely to have gastrointestinal regurgitation and 2.3 times more likely to have headaches. (Read about "Headaches") Nineteen percent of children met the criteria for insomnia, which was defined as often having trouble falling asleep and/or waking up often in the night. Gastrointestinal regurgitation was reported in 7.5 percent of children with insomnia and two percent of children who did not have sleep disturbances. Headaches were reported in 24.4 percent of children with insomnia and 13.2 percent of children without disturbed sleep.

Children with sleep disturbances had significantly more parent-reported complaints of gastrointestinal symptoms (heartburn, pain/colic and regurgitation), headaches and bedwetting. After controlling for demographic variables; apnea-hypopnea index; learning, psychiatric and behavioral disorders; and socioeconomic and minority status, only gastrointestinal regurgitation and headaches remained significantly associated with insomnia symptoms.

According to the authors, the study did not allow for the assessment of a cause-and-effect relationship, which could work in both directions. The insomnia symptoms may have resulted in medical complaints since it is known that the respiratory, cardiovascular and gastrointestinal systems (Read about "Respiratory System" "The Heart & Cardiovascular System" "Digestive System") undergo significant physiological changes during sleep.