Discussion
SECONDARY
Results of this secondary analysis of the DREAM trial demonstrated that even relatively small reductions in nightly sleep duration can have a considerable effect on HRQOL in children. These children received 39 minutes less sleep per night between sleep conditions over only 1 week. This loss of sleep resulted in significant reductions in the children’s physical well-being, overall well-being, and ability to cope well in a school environment. For those who achieved the a priori difference in sleep of at least 30 minutes per night, additional reductions in well-being associated with less social and peer support were also observed. While these differences may generally be considered as small but not trivial,It is difficult to compare the findings with those reported in the literature because most previous experimental studiesPrevious analyses of the DREAM trial provided some insight into why these relatively modest changes in sleep might affect HRQOL, although it is difficult to disentangle which behavioral changes might influence HRQOL the most as they tend to be interrelated in children.