Physical activity may help to ease sleep problems in children with ASD

Physical activity may play a significant role in reducing sleep problems in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), according to a meta-analysis by researchers in China and the United States.

Sleep problems are one of the most common issues for children with ASD, affecting as many as 80% of this population. Poor sleep can contribute to fatigue, daytime behavior problems, and cognitive issues, as well as causing stress for families.

In their meta-analysis, Xiao Liang and colleagues reviewed eight studies on the effects of physical activity programs on sleep in individuals with ASD. “Compared to no treatment control groups,” they say, “physical activity interventions had a large positive effect on parent-reported general sleep problems, night awakenings, sleep resistance, sleep duration, and actigraphy-assessed sleep efficiency in children and adolescents with ASD.”

The researchers suggest, “As an efficacious lifestyle intervention, physical activity intervention is low-cost and easy to implement as it is a joyful and child-appropriate approach.”

Citations

“The impact of the physical activity intervention on sleep in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis,” Xiao Liang, Justin A. Haegele, Andy Choi-Yeung Tse, Minghui Li, Hui Zhang, Shi Zhao, and Shirley Xin Li, Sleep Medicine Reviews, April 2024 (online). Address: Xiao Liang, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR, China, [email protected]