"Short-term effects of aquatic activities on sleep behaviors in children and adolescents"

Sleep and physical activity play an important role in the proper development of children. Water exercises support health, motor development, and physical fitness, as well as having a relaxing effect, reducing stress, and positively influencing the quality of sleep in children. The aim of the study was to check whether days on which water exercises were performed had a more beneficial effect on children's sleep compared to days without such activities.The study involved 138 children and adolescents aged 6 months to 18 years who participated in water activities appropriate for their age. Sleep was assessed using three methods: a sleep diary, the abridged Children's Sleep Habit Questionnaire (CSHQ-A), and the Sleep Self-Rating (SSR). The analysis compared the quality of sleep on the night after water activity with the night without such activity.