Association between weekend catch-up sleep and executive functions in Chinese school-aged children

Abstract

Study objectives: Although weekend catch-up sleep is common among children, the association between weekend catch-up sleep and executive functions remains unclear. We aimed to determine whether weekend catch-up sleep was related to executive functions in school-aged children.

Methods: We analyzed data for 4,699 children (9.00 years ± 1.73 years old, 52.9% boys) from 5 primary schools in Guangzhou, China. Executive functions performance was examined by the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function Parent Form. Validated self-report questionnaires were used to assess sleep status, socioeconomic status, and health behaviors. Multiple linear regression analyses were used to assess the association of weekend catch-up sleep duration with executive functions.

Results: Weekday sleep was negatively associated with scores on three composite indices (Behavioral Regulation Index, Metacognition Index, Global Executive Composite), while weekend catch-up sleep was positively associated with them. Children with < 9 hours weekday sleep duration had higher scores in all indices, and there was no correlation between weekend catch-up sleep and scores of all indices (P > .05). For children who slept ≥ 9 hours on weekdays, weekend catch-up sleep of more than 1 hour was associated with increased scores of Behavioral Regulation Index, Metacognition Index, and Global Executive Composite (P < .05). There was no interaction between sex, age, and weekend catch-up sleep and executive functions (P > .05).

Conclusions: Weekend catch-up sleep could not restore the executive functions deficits related to short weekday sleep. Weekend catch-up sleep over 1 hour may have adverse effects on executive functions in school-aged children.

Clinical trial registration: Registry: ClinicalTrials.gov; Title: Prospective Cohort Study on Cognition and Cardiovascular Disease of Sedentary Behaviors in Children; URL: https://ichgcp.net/clinical-trials-registry/NCT03582709; Identifier: NCT03582709.

Keywords: brief; children; executive functions; sleep duration.

Conflict of interest statement

All authors have seen and approved the manuscript. The authors report that this work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81673193) and Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province, China (2019A1515011462). The authors declare no conflict of interest.

© 2020 American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

Figures

Figure 1. Multiple linear regression for the associations of weekday sleep duration with EFs score.

Adjusted for age, sex, paternal and maternal educational level, family income, MVPA, SB, BMI, MSFsc, Nap, and weekend catch-up sleep duration. BMI = body mass index, kg/m2, BRI = Behavioral Regulation Index, EF = executive functions, GEC = Global Executive Composite, MI = Metacognition Index, MSFsc = midpoint of sleep on weekends corrected for sleep extension on weekends, MVPA = moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, SB = sedentary behavior.

Figure 2. Multiple linear regression for the associations of weekend catch-up sleep duration with EFs score.

Adjusted for age, sex, paternal and maternal educational level, family income, MVPA, SB, BMI, MSFsc, Nap, and weekday sleep duration. BMI = body mass index, kg/m2, BRI = Behavioral Regulation Index, EF = executive functions, GEC = Global Executive Composite, MI = Metacognition Index, MSFsc = midpoint of sleep on weekends corrected for sleep extension on weekends, MVPA = moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, SB = sedentary behavior.