Earlier bedtimes and more sleep displace sedentary behavior but not moderate-to-vigorous physical activity in adolescents

Abstract

ObjectivesCorrelational models suggest increased cardiometabolic risk when sleep replaces moderate-to-vigorous (but not sedentary or light) physical activity. This study tested which activity ranges are impacted by experimentally altering adolescents’ bedtime. MethodAdolescents completed a 3-week within-subjects crossover experiment with 5 nights of late bedtimes and 5 nights early bedtimes (6.5- and 9.5-hours sleep opportunity, respectively). Experimental condition order was randomized. Waketimes were held constant throughout to mimic school start times. Sleep and physical activity occurred in the natural environments, with lab appointments following each 5-day condition. Waist-worn accelerometers measured physical activity and sedentary behavior. Wrist-worn actigraphs confirmed sleep condition adherence. Wilcoxon tests and linear mixed effects models compared waking activity levels between conditions and across time. ResultsNinety healthy adolescents (14-17 years) completed the study. When in the early (vs. late) bedtime condition, adolescents fell asleep 1.96 hours earlier (SD = 1.08, d = 1.82, p < .0001) and slept 1.49 hours more (SD = 1.01, d = 1.74, p < .0001). They spent 1.68 and 0.32 fewer hours in sedentary behavior (SD = 1.67, d = 1.0, p < .0001) and light physical activity (SD = 0.87, d = 0.37, p = .0005), respectively. This pattern was reflected in increased proportion of waking hours spent in sedentary and light activity. Absolute and proportion of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity did not differ between conditions (d = 0.02, p = .89; d = 0.14, p = .05, respectively). ConclusionsInducing earlier bedtimes (allowing for healthy sleep opportunity) did not affect moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. Alternatively, later bedtimes (allowing for ≤ 6.5 hours of sleep opportunity, mimicking common adolescent school night sleep) increased sedentary behavior. Results are reassuring for the benefits of earlier bedtimes.