Sex Differences in Temporal Sleep Patterns, Social Jetlag, and Attention in High School Adolescents.

Insufficient sleep and irregular sleep hours are common in adolescents, who experience a delayed sleep phase due to biopsychosocial changes associated with puberty, resulting in later sleep times. However, early morning class hours shorten sleep duration on weekdays. This condition is harmful to cognitive performance, which may be accentuated in girls due to a greater sleep need and less resistance to sleep deprivation. In this study, we evaluated sex differences concerning temporal sleep patterns, social jetlag, and attention in high school adolescents attending morning classes. Students ( n = 146 - F: 73-16.1 ± 0.8 years; M: 73-16.2 ± 0.9 years) completed a Health and Sleep questionnaire, kept a sleep diary for 10 days, which incorporated a Maldonado Sleepiness Scale, and performed a Continuous Performance Task. Girls went to bed earlier and woke up on weekends, and spent more time in bed at night and in 24 h on weekdays and weekends, while they also had a greater irregularity in wake-up times ( p < 0.05). There were no differences between sexes in terms of social jetlag, sleep debt, and sleepiness upon awakening ( p > 0.05). Regarding attention, the girls had a longer reaction time in phasic alertness ( p < 0.01) and a tendency to have fewer errors in selective attention ( p = 0.06). These results persisted when controlled for sleep parameters. Therefore, we suggest that girls have a greater sleep need and less resistance to sleep deprivation, while the differences in attention performance could be due to different strategies, the girls could be making a trade, increasing reaction time in favor of better accuracy, while the boys could be prioritizing a faster response time.

Comparative analysis of sleep patterns and attention components in high school and college adolescents.

Adolescence is a phase with physiological and behavioral changes. One of them occurs in the sleep-wake cycle pattern, manifested by a phase delay. However, morning school start time can decrease sleep duration during weekdays, impairing adolescent cognitive performance and well-being. Adolescents of different ages and educational level might suffer the impact of academic demand on sleep-wake cycle and cognition differently. Thus, the aim of this study is to compare the sleep habits and quality, sleepiness upon awakening and attention components among adolescents in the first years of high school and college. 71 adolescents participated in the study (45 girls and 26 boys), 44 enrolled in high school morning classes (G1 - 15.5±0.7 years), from a private school, and 27 college students enrolled in morning classes (G2 - 18.8±1.04 years), from biosciences courses from a public institution. The groups did not differ in bedtime, get up time, time in bed and sleep irregularity. However, both groups showed differences according to the day of the week, bedtime and get up time became later and time in bed extended on weekends. G1 presented worse sleep quality and regarding attention, showed higher percentage of omissions in all components and worse performance in sustained attention (ANOVA, p<0.05). The poorer sleep quality of high school adolescents and reduced attention may have a negative effect on school performance. Additional studies are needed to investigate the causes of these differences between these two educational levels.

Effect of a sleep education program on sleep knowledge and habits in elementary and high school teachers / Efeito de um programa de educação sobre o sono no conhecimento e hábitos de sono em professores do ensino fundamental e médio / Efecto de un programa de educación sobre el sueño en el conocimiento y hábitos del sueño de los maestros

Abstract The influence of a sleep education program (SEP) on the knowledge, habits, quality of sleep, and daytime sleepiness was evaluated in 40 Brazilian elementary and high school teachers [Groups: Experimental (EG=26)/Control (CG=14)]. The Health and Sleep questionnaire, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and sleep logs were applied to both groups, at baseline and in reassessment three weeks after a SEP with the EG. The methodology of the SEP was based on the Meaningful Learning theory proposed by Ausubel, consisting of four fortnightly meetings, lasting 4h each. After the program, the EG showed an increase in sleep knowledge and a reduction in coffee consumption near bedtime. Besides, 17% of teachers improved sleep quality in this group. However, no changes occurred in sleep schedules and sleepiness. Nevertheless, the positive results reinforce the need for sleep education programs with teachers to spread sleep knowledge in schools and improve the sleep quality in these professionals.

Resumo A influência de um programa de educação sobre o sono (PES) nos conhecimentos, hábitos e qualidade do sono, e sonolência diurna foi avaliada em 40 professores brasileiros do ensino básico [Grupos: Experimental (GE=26)/Controle (GC=14)]. A Saúde e Sono, o Índice de Qualidade de Sono de Pittsburgh e o diário de sono foram aplicados nos grupos antes e três semanas após um PES aplicado no GE. O programa baseado na teoria da Aprendizagem Significativa consistiu de quatro encontros de 4h/cada. Após o programa, o GE aumentou os conhecimentos sobre sono e reduziu o relato de consumo de café próximo a dormir, com melhora na qualidade de sono em 17% dos professores. Embora não tenha havido diferenças nos horários de sono e sonolência, os resultados positivos reforçam a necessidade do desenvolvimento de programas educacionais sobre sono com professores para difusão do assunto nas escolas e melhora da qualidade do sono nestes profissionais.

Resumen La influencia de un programa de educación sobre el sueño (PES) en los conocimientos, hábitos, calidad de sueño y somnolencia diurna fue evaluado en 40 maestros brasileños de educación básica [Grupos: Experimental (GE=26)/Control (GC=14)]. Los cuestionarios Salud y Sueño, Índice de calidad de sueño de Pittsburgh y diario del sueño se aplicaron en los grupos, antes y tres semanas después de un PES en el GE. El programa basado en la teoría del aprendizaje significativo consistió en cuatro sesiones de 4 horas/cada uno. Después del programa, el GE aumentó su conocimiento sobre el sueño y hubo una reducción en el consumo de café cerca de la hora de acostarse, con una mejora en la calidad del sueño en 17% de los maestros. Aunque no hubo diferencias en los horarios de sueño y la somnolencia, los resultados positivos refuerzan la necesidad de desarrollar programas educativos sobre el sueño con los maestros para difundir el tema en las escuelas y mejorar la calidad del sueño en estos profesionales.

Work schedule influence on sleep habits in elementary and high school teachers according to chronotype / Influência do horário de trabalho nos hábitos de sono em professores da educação básica de acordo com o cronotipo / Influencia del horario de trabajo en los hábitos del sueño en maestros de la escuela primaria, secundaria y preparatoria según cronotipo

The influence of work schedule on sleep habits and quality, and daytime sleepiness according to individual preferences in sleep schedules was assessed in 131 elementary and high school teachers through questionnaires. Teachers who initiate classes around 7:00 hr wake up earlier and show more frequency of poor sleep quality than those who start classes in the afternoon. Between them, those who have a preference for intermediate or later hours for sleep are more irregular in their wake up schedules and increase their sleep duration on the weekend compared to those with earlier sleep preferences. On the other hand, working only in the afternoon seems to provide better sleep/awake conditions for teachers, because they keep the same sleep duration during the week and on the weekend, and they are diagnosed with less daytime sleepiness. Therefore, the discussion of school start times, originally proposed for adolescents, needs to be magnified to teachers, contributing to improvement of sleep habits and life quality in school environments...

A influência do horário de trabalho nos hábitos e qualidade de sono, e sonolência diurna de acordo com preferências individuais nos horários de sono foi avaliada por questionários em 131 professores do ensino básico. Professores que iniciam as aulas ± 7:00 h acordam mais cedo e apresentam frequentemente sonolência diurna excessiva comparados aos que iniciam à tarde. Dentre estes, àqueles com preferência por horários intermediários ou tardios de sono são mais irregulares nos horários de acordar e aumentam a duração do sono no fim de semana comparados aos professores com preferência por acordar mais cedo. Em contrapartida, trabalhar somente à tarde parece proporcionar melhores condições de sono/vigília, devido não acarretar privação de sono e proporcionar menor frequência de sonolência diurna. Portanto, a discussão do horário de início das escolas originalmente levantada para adolescentes, precisa ser ampliada para professores contribuindo para melhora nos hábitos de sono e qualidade de vida no ambiente escolar...

La influencia del horario de trabajo en los hábitos y la calidad del sueño (dormir) y la somnolencia diurna según cronotipo se evaluó por cuestionarios en 131 maestros. Los maestros que empiezan las clases a las ±7:00 h despiertan más temprano y tienen con frecuencia somnolencia diurna en comparación con los maestros que inician las clases por la tarde. Entre ellos, los intermedios y trasnochadores son más irregulares en los horarios de despertar en comparación con los madrugadores. Además, aumentan la duración del sueño el fin de semana. Por otra parte, trabajar solamente por la tarde parece ofrecer mejores condiciones para el sueño y vigilia del maestro, debido no causar privación del sueño y proporcionar menor frecuencia de somnolencia diurna. Por lo tanto, la discusión del horario de inicio de las escuelas originalmente planteadas para los adolescentes, debe ampliarse a los maestros contribuyendo para mejorar los hábitos del sueño y la calidad de vida en la escuela...

Work schedule influence on sleep habits in elementary and high school teachers according to chronotype / Influência do horário de trabalho nos hábitos de sono em professores da educação básica de acordo com o cronotipo / Influencia del horario de trabajo en los hábitos del sueño en maestros de la escuela primaria, secundaria y preparatoria según cronotipo

The influence of work schedule on sleep habits and quality, and daytime sleepiness according to individual preferences in sleep schedules was assessed in 131 elementary and high school teachers through questionnaires. Teachers who initiate classes around 7:00 hr wake up earlier and show more frequency of poor sleep quality than those who start classes in the afternoon. Between them, those who have a preference for intermediate or later hours for sleep are more irregular in their wake up schedules and increase their sleep duration on the weekend compared to those with earlier sleep preferences. On the other hand, working only in the afternoon seems to provide better sleep/awake conditions for teachers, because they keep the same sleep duration during the week and on the weekend, and they are diagnosed with less daytime sleepiness. Therefore, the discussion of school start times, originally proposed for adolescents, needs to be magnified to teachers, contributing to improvement of sleep habits and life quality in school environments.(AU)

A influência do horário de trabalho nos hábitos e qualidade de sono, e sonolência diurna de acordo com preferências individuais nos horários de sono foi avaliada por questionários em 131 professores do ensino básico. Professores que iniciam as aulas ± 7:00 h acordam mais cedo e apresentam frequentemente sonolência diurna excessiva comparados aos que iniciam à tarde. Dentre estes, àqueles com preferência por horários intermediários ou tardios de sono são mais irregulares nos horários de acordar e aumentam a duração do sono no fim de semana comparados aos professores com preferência por acordar mais cedo. Em contrapartida, trabalhar somente à tarde parece proporcionar melhores condições de sono/vigília, devido não acarretar privação de sono e proporcionar menor frequência de sonolência diurna. Portanto, a discussão do horário de início das escolas originalmente levantada para adolescentes, precisa ser ampliada para professores contribuindo para melhora nos hábitos de sono e qualidade de vida no ambiente escolar.(AU)

La influencia del horario de trabajo en los hábitos y la calidad del sueño (dormir) y la somnolencia diurna según cronotipo se evaluó por cuestionarios en 131 maestros. Los maestros que empiezan las clases a las ±7:00 h despiertan más temprano y tienen con frecuencia somnolencia diurna en comparación con los maestros que inician las clases por la tarde. Entre ellos, los intermedios y trasnochadores son más irregulares en los horarios de despertar en comparación con los madrugadores. Además, aumentan la duración del sueño el fin de semana. Por otra parte, trabajar solamente por la tarde parece ofrecer mejores condiciones para el sueño y vigilia del maestro, debido no causar privación del sueño y proporcionar menor frecuencia de somnolencia diurna. Por lo tanto, la discusión del horario de inicio de las escuelas originalmente planteadas para los adolescentes, debe ampliarse a los maestros contribuyendo para mejorar los hábitos del sueño y la calidad de vida en la escuela.(AU)