Short and long sleep duration and associated factors in pre-adolescence and early adulthood: evidence from the 1993 Pelotas birth cohort study

Abstract

Objective: The objective of the present study was to investigate the associated factors with short and long sleep duration at ages 11 (pre-adolescence) and 22 years old (early adulthood).

Methods: Participants of the 1993 Pelotas birth cohort with self-reported sleep records at 11 (n = 4442) and 22 (n = 3800) years were included. The total sleep time duration was categorised as short (<9 h for 11 years and <7 h for 22 years), long (>11 for 11 years and >9 for 22 years) and recommended according to the National Sleep Foundation criteria. Multinomial regression analyses were applied according to a hierarchical approach in order to investigate the associated factors with sleep duration patterns. All analyses were stratified by sex.

Results: Higher income was associated with higher odds of short sleep duration in 11-year-old boys [OR = 1.54 (CI95%: 1.08; 2.19)] and girls [OR = 1.45 (CI95%: 1.03; 2.06)] and also with lower odds of long sleep duration in both ages. At 22 years, common mental health disorders were associated with higher odds of short sleep duration in both men [OR = 1.56 (CI95%: 1.18; 2.06)] and women [OR = 1.48 (CI95%: 1.11; 1.99)]. Sleep duration was also related to screen time and physical activity showing different association patterns according to sex and age.

Conclusions: Different factors may be associated with sleep duration patterns in pre-adolescence and early adulthood. Our results emphasise the importance of considering stratification analyses to identify associated factors with sleep duration since they may vary according to age and sex.

Keywords: Adolescents; Adults; Associated factors; Epidemiology; Sleep duration.