Is napping related with health-related behaviors and sleep habits among adolescents? A population-based study.

INTRODUCTION

Changes in sleep quality and quantity occur in adolescence and can lead to the compensatory behavior of daytime napping.

OBJECTIVE

Analyze factors related to napping in adolescents.

METHODS

A population-based cross-sectional study was conducted with 1022 adolescents who participated in the 2014-2015 Health Survey of the city of Campinas, state of São Paulo, Brazil. Napping was the dependent variable. Sociodemographic characteristics, living habits, health-related behaviors, feelings of loneliness, satisfaction with life and nocturnal sleep habits were the independent variables. Data analysis was performed using Rao-Scott chi-square test, unpaired Student's t-test and Poisson regression analysis; p < 0.05 was considered significant. The software STATA was used for analysis.

RESULTS

Mean participant age was 14.6 years (SD: 2.7; range: 10 to 19 years). Males accounted for 50.9% of the sample and 55.7% had white skin color. A total of 40.5% reported napping. Napping was more common in females (p = 0.006), the 14-to-17-year-old age group (p = 0.002), those who took medications in the previous 15 days (p = 0.001), those who were insufficiently active (p = 0.036), those who reported little or no satisfaction with life (p = 0.008) and those who woke up in bad mood (p = 0.004). Adolescents who napped also reported shorter sleep during the week (p < 0.001) and a perceived greater need for sleep (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of napping among the adolescents was independently associated with shorter average sleep, a perceived greater need for sleep than that obtained and waking up in a bad mood.