Sleep disturbances in school-aged children 6–12 years during the COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey

PURPOSE: Sleep disturbances in childhood are an important pediatrics problem because of their influence on children's health and their strong correlation with behavior problems. The aim of the present study was to explore sleep disturbances during the COVID-19 pandemic in school-age children. DESIGN AND METHODS: A cross-sectional survey design was used for data collection. From 1 to 15 February 2021, the study utilized snowball sampling techniques to gather data through an online survey. Parents of 1040 6–12-year-old schoolchildren completed the Socio-demographic Information Questionnaire and the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire. A multivariable logistic regression analysis was employed to pinpoint factors connected to sleep disturbances. RESULTS: The prevalence of sleep disturbances among 6–12-year-old children during the COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey was 55.5%. The most common sleep disturbances were bedtime resistance, sleep onset delay, and sleep duration. The children's ages, family relationships, and eating habits were linked to their sleep disturbances. Moreover, our results indicated that sleep disturbances were more common in the children of parents who felt helpless, apprehensive, and frightened during the COVID-19 pandemic. CONCLUSIONS: Our work showed that the prevalence of sleep disturbances among school-aged children during the COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey was quite high. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Parents who are worried that their child is sleeping too much or too little should consult their healthcare provider for assessment of a probable sleep disturbance. School nurses should be educated children and their parents about the importance of enough sleep and factors that contribute to inadequate sleep among children during the COVID-19 pandemic.