CIRCADIAN PREFERENCE, SLEEP HYGIENE AND MEDIA USE IN ITALIAN CHILDREN

Circadian phase preference is an individual characteristic related to different daily rhythms of many physiological variables. Previous researches have demonstrated that poor sleep hygiene and screen-based media use is associated with poor sleep, but little is known about prepubertal children. Purpose of this study was to investigate relationship between circadian preferences, sleep hygiene, media use in children aged 4–11 y Data were collected on 2592 non-referred children (49% male), attending ten schools in Rome (response rate = 79.5%). Sample was divided into three groups (4–6, 6.1–9; 9.1–10.11 years). Parents completed Children’s Sleep Hygiene Scale (CSHS), Children’s Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ), Children’s Chronotype Questionnaire. Parents were asked about children’s screen time (time spent on screen- based activities, including mobile phone, television, video-game console, computer and electronic social media such as text messages and online social networking sites) over the past 30 days. This study indicated that Evening circadian preference is importantly related to insufficient and low quality sleep, poor sleep hygiene and higher screen time exposure even in pre-schoolers. This trend increases as children get older