Sleep Habits among a Group of Iranian School-Aged Children

Background and Objective: Sleep problems are common in school-aged children. However, despite the high prevalence, they often are overlooked. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of sleep problems in elementary school students in Kashan, Iran. Materials and Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 300 elementary school students (7-12 years old) in Kashan City. The participants were recruited via random cluster sampling. The BEARS [B = Bed-time Issues, E = Excessive Daytime Sleepiness (EDS), A = Night Awakenings, R = Regularity and Duration of Sleep, S = Snoring] questionnaire was completed by mothers. Data analysis was carried out by descriptive statistics [mean and standard deviation (SD)], t-test, and Mann-Whitney U test. Results: A total of 300 students participated in the study. Of them, 44.3% (133) were boys and 55.7% (167) were girls. The most common problem was nightmare (15.7%) and resistance against wakening (21.5%). The frequency of waking up at night in boys was higher than girls (P 0.05). Conclusion: High frequency of sleep problems in the study indicates the importance of sleep problems in children. To promote the awareness of parents, it is necessary to give information about healthy sleep patterns through schools and parent-teacher meetings.