Document Type
Article
Publication Date
5-1-2012
School
Psychology
Abstract
The cortisol awakening response (CAR) is presumed critically important for healthy adaptation. The current literature, however, is hampered by systematic measurement difficulties relative to awakening, especially with young children. While reports suggest the CAR is smaller in children than adults, well-controlled research in early childhood is scarce. We examined whether robust CARs exist in 2- to 4-year-old children and if sleep restriction, wake timing, and napping influence the CAR (n?=?7). During a 25-day in-home protocol, researchers collected four salivary cortisol samples (0, 15, 30, 45?min post-wake) following five polysomnographic sleep recordings on nonconsecutive days after 4?hr (morning nap), 7?hr (afternoon nap), 10?hr (evening nap), 13?hr (baseline night), and 16?hr (sleep restriction night) of wakefulness (20 samples/child). The CAR was robust after nighttime sleep, diminished after sleep restriction, and smaller but distinct after morning and afternoon (not evening) naps. Cortisol remained elevated 45?min after morning and afternoon naps. (c) 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 54:412422, 2012.
Publication Title
Developmental Psychobiology
Volume
54
Issue
4
First Page
412
Last Page
422
Recommended Citation
Gribbin, C. E.,
Watamura, S. E.,
Cairns, A.,
Harsh, J. R.,
LeBourgeois, M. K.
(2012). The Cortisol Awakening Response (CAR) in 2-to 4-year-old Children: Effects of Acute Nighttime Sleep Restriction, Wake Time, and Daytime Napping. Developmental Psychobiology, 54(4), 412-422.
Available at: https://aquila.usm.edu/fac_pubs/271
Comments
This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: [Gribbin, C.E., Watamura, S.E., Cairns, A., Harsh, J.R., and LeBourgeois, M.K. (2011). The cortisol awakening response (CAR) in 2- to 4-year-old children: Effects of Acute Nighttime Sleep Restriction, Wake Time, and Daytime Napping. Publishers version at: 10.1002/dev.20599.