Sleep characteristics in children in the isolated rural African-Brazilian descendant community of Furnas do Dionísio, State of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil

Abstract

-Developmental and cultural factors affect sleep habits in childhood. The objective of this research was to determine sleep habits of children in the isolated rural African-Brazilian community of Furnas do Dionísio, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. The members of this community are closely related descendants of the ex-slave Dionísio, and remained in relative geographical isolation for about a century. Sleep characteristics of 55 children (35M; 20F), 2 to 10 year olds, were evaluated in interviews with their mothers. The results showed that cosleeping, in the same bed with family members, was present in 80.0% of the 2-3 year olds; decreasing to 25.0% of the 8-10 year olds. Only 5.4% of the children slept alone in their own bedroom. Mean number of persons per bedroom was 2.8. Only 7.0% of the bedrooms had TV; 98.1% slept in silence. The data obtained support the need to weigh cultural factors influence on sleep.KEY WORDS: sleep, sleep habits, child, African-Brazilian, Negro, Black, Furnas do Dionísio, Mato Grosso do Sul. Características do sono da criança na comunidade negra rural isolada de Furnas do Dionísio no Mato Grosso do SulRESUMO -Hábitos de dormir da criança sofrem influências fisiológicas e culturais. O objetivo desta pesquisa foi verificar os hábitos de dormir da criança da comunidade negra rural e isolada de Furnas do Dionísio, no Mato Grosso do Sul. A comunidade é composta dos membros de uma mesma família, descendentes do ex-escravo Dionísio, mantida por cerca de um século em isolamento geográfico relativo. As características de 55 crianças (35 M; 20 F), de 2 a 10 anos de idade, foram pesquisadas através de entrevistas com as mães. Resultou que o hábito de dormir junto (cosleeping) estava presente em 80,0 % aos 2-3 anos; reduzindo a 25,0 % aos 8-10 anos. Apenas 5,4% dormiam sozinhas em seu quarto. A média de pessoas por quarto foi 2,8. Apenas 7,0 % dos quartos tinham televisão; 98,1% eram silenciosos. Os resultados apóiam a necessidade de determinar a influência de fatores étnicos no sono.

Sleep habits and starting time to school in Brazilian children

“…Among 2 and 3 years old, African-Brazilian children 80% s h are the bed until 10 years old. We found the same habits among the indigenous population of Terena and B o ro ro, children sharing the bed with their pare n t s are a remarkable characteristic of this society [17][18][19] . This study aims to verify the sleep habits of 7 to 10 years old children in São Paulo City, Brazil, o b s e rving their evolution according to age, gender and s t a rting time to school.…”

Does Cosleeping Contribute to Lower Testosterone Levels in Fathers? Evidence from the Philippines

“…In one of the only large surveys to have examined fathers' placement during nighttime sleep, it was shown that when mothers sleep with their infants, a majority of the time fathers are also present [46], although this study was conducted in the US, where routine cosleeping is not necessarily the norm. Though available data are limited, preliminary observations also suggest that this pattern of fathers being present with mothers and children during sleep may also be common in cultures where cosleeping is more widely practiced [47]–[49].…”

Nightly use of computer by adolescents: its effect on quality of sleep

“…The objective of the present research is to analyze the influence of nightly use of computer by adolescents on sleep quality. It is part of a larger research evaluating childrens' and adolescents' sleep pattterns and disorders that will be published elsewhere [22][23][24][25][26] .…”