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Hackl-Wimmer S, Eglmaier MTW, Eichen L, Rettenbacher K, Macher D, Walter-Laager C, Lackner HK, Papousek I, Paechter M. Effects of Touchscreen Media Use on Toddlers' Sleep: Insights from Longtime ECG Monitoring. Sensors (Basel) 2021; 21:7515. [PMID: 34833593 PMCID: PMC8622356 DOI: 10.3390/s21227515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Revised: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Wearable biomedical sensor technology enables reliable monitoring of physiological data, even in very young children. The purpose of the present study was to develop algorithms for gaining valid physiological indicators of sleep quality in toddlers, using data from an undisturbing and easy-to-use wearable device. The study further reports the application of this technique to the investigation of potential impacts of early touchscreen media use. Toddlers' touchscreen media use is of strong interest for parents, educators, and researchers. Mostly, negative effects of media use are assumed, among them, disturbances of sleep and impairments of learning and development. In 55 toddlers (32 girls, 23 boys; 27.4 ± 4.9 months; range: 16-37 months), ECG monitoring was conducted for a period of 30 (±3) h. Parents were asked about their children's touchscreen media use and they rated their children's sleep quality. The use of touchscreen media predicted the physiologically determined quality of sleep but not parent-reported sleep quality (such as sleep onset latency). Greater heart rate differences between restless sleep phases and restful sleep indicated poorer nighttime recovery in children with more frequent use of touchscreen media. The study demonstrates that the expert analysis of the ECG during sleep is a potent tool for the estimation of sleep quality in toddlers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sigrid Hackl-Wimmer
- Educational Psychology Unit, Department of Psychology, University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria; (M.T.W.E.); (D.M.); (M.P.)
| | - Marina Tanja Waltraud Eglmaier
- Educational Psychology Unit, Department of Psychology, University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria; (M.T.W.E.); (D.M.); (M.P.)
| | - Lars Eichen
- Department of Early Childhood Education, University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria; (L.E.); (K.R.); (C.W.-L.)
| | - Karoline Rettenbacher
- Department of Early Childhood Education, University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria; (L.E.); (K.R.); (C.W.-L.)
| | - Daniel Macher
- Educational Psychology Unit, Department of Psychology, University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria; (M.T.W.E.); (D.M.); (M.P.)
| | - Catherine Walter-Laager
- Department of Early Childhood Education, University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria; (L.E.); (K.R.); (C.W.-L.)
| | - Helmut Karl Lackner
- Otto Loewi Research Center, Division of Physiology, Medical University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
- Institute of Medical Engineering, Graz University of Technology, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Ilona Papousek
- Biological Psychology Unit, Department of Psychology, University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria;
| | - Manuela Paechter
- Educational Psychology Unit, Department of Psychology, University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria; (M.T.W.E.); (D.M.); (M.P.)
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