United States: Recent investigations underscore a heightened peril of hypertension in juveniles and adolescents who habitually endure insufficient slumber. These revelations may revolutionize the discourse between medical practitioners and families regarding pediatric hypertension.
A comprehensive scrutiny of data encompassing over 500 hypertensive youths unearthed a correlation between abbreviated sleep durations and elevated blood pressure, as elucidated in a study published in Pediatrics on Wednesday.
Despite a downward trend in pediatric hypertension, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention approximates that 1 in 7 individuals aged 12 to 19 grapple with high blood pressure.
The study abstains from asserting direct causation between truncated sleep and hypertension; however, sleep seldom occupies a prominent position in the advice dispensed by physicians to parents concerning blood pressure, remarked Dr. Amy Kogon, the study’s principal investigator and an assistant professor at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine. The dataset originated from juveniles and adolescents treated at a clinic within the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, where Kogon specializes in pediatric nephrology, according to NBC News.
“Our focus traditionally encompasses diet and physical activity,” Kogon noted, adding, “Parents might want to contemplate sleep as an additional factor, particularly if their child is hypertensive.”
Several aspects that pose risks for the development of hypertension in children include obesity, inadequate physical activity, and an unhealthful diet, according to the American Heart Association.
It is shocking that many American middle and high school student’s get inadequate quantity and quality sleep. However, current statistics in the US presented by the CDC indicate that more than half of middle school students and over three quarters of high school students get insufficient sleep.
Additionally, Kogon observed that up to a third of elementary-aged children fall short of the recommended sleep duration.
Sleep requirements for children and adolescents vary by age. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine prescribes:
– 10 to 13 hours nightly for children under age 6.
– 9 to 12 hours nightly for children aged 6-12.
– 8 to 10 hours nightly for teenagers aged 13-18.
– 7 to 9 hours nightly for individuals aged 18 and older.
Early intervention in blood pressure management is crucial since prolonged hypertension heightens the risk of cardiac disease, explained Dr. Barry Love, head of the congenital cardiac catheterization program at Mount Sinai Kravis Children’s Heart Center.
“We recognize that hypertension is linked with early coronary disease and cerebrovascular accidents,” stated Love, who was not involved in the recent study. “Vascular damage accrues incrementally,” as noted by NBC News.
For a recent study, researchers at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia analyzed the medical records of 539 children, averaging 14.6 years in age, referred to pediatric nephrology clinics due to elevated blood pressure readings. Participants recorded their bedtimes and wake times and utilized ambulatory blood pressure monitors, which recorded readings every 20 minutes during wakefulness and every 30 minutes during sleep.
Deviation from recommended sleep durations was associated with increased daytime hypertension. Late bedtimes are also correlated with higher blood pressure. These patterns persisted irrespective of the children’s age, gender, or BMI categories.
Excessive sleep was similarly linked to blood pressure abnormalities. Typically, blood pressure decreases by approximately 10% during sleep, but this reduction was less pronounced when children exceeded the recommended sleep duration.
Why do children struggle with sleep?
Anxiety contributes to sleep disturbances for about 25% of children aged 1 to 6, according to a University of Michigan CS Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll. Such children often lacked bedtime routines and were more likely to watch videos or TV shows, as reported by their parents in the poll released Monday.
Another factor impeding sleep: Approximately 59% of children did not turn off their electronic devices at night, the poll revealed.
The issue is less about the light emitted by the devices and more about the content being viewed. Applications like TikTok and Instagram can be particularly addictive and stimulating, Kogon explained, as per NBC News.
Reading a book on a device is likely not as disruptive as scrolling through social media, Kogon suggested.
Parents should prohibit cellphones in their children’s bedrooms at night, Kogon advised. She also recommended that no electronic devices or televisions be allowed in bedrooms.
Dr. Mariana Bedoya, an assistant professor specializing in allergy, immunology, pulmonology, and sleep medicine at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt University, proposed additional strategies to enhance sleep:
– Ceasing caffeine consumption at least six hours before bedtime.
– Adhering to consistent sleep schedules.
– Avoiding naps for older children.
“I advise patients to limit variations in their sleep schedules to no more than one and a half to two hours over weekends,” said Bedoya, who was not part of the recent study, NBC News reported.
Love acknowledged the difficulty children face in obtaining adequate sleep. “Are they troubled by worries or consuming unhealthy foods?” he pondered. “Numerous distractions vie for their attention, undermining their sleep.”