The effect of air quality on sleep and cognitive performance in school children aged 10–12 years: a double-blinded, placebo-controlled, crossover trial

• Authors: Frida B. Klausen , Ali Amidi , Søren K. Kjærgaard , Vivi Schlünssen , Peter Ravn , Kirsten Østergaard , Vibeke H. Gutzke , Marianne Glasius , Therese K. Grønborg , Stefan N. Hansen , Robert Zachariae , Pawel Wargocki , Torben Sigsgaard

Abstracts

EN

Objectives To investigate the effect of CO₂ during sleep on next-morning cognitive performance in young schoolchildren, the authors performed a double-blind fully balanced crossover placebo-controlled study. Material and Methods The authors included 36 children aged 10–12 years in the climate chamber. The children slept at 21°C in 6 groups each at 3 different conditions separated by 7 days in a random order. Conditions were as follows: high ventilation with CO₂ at 700 ppm, high ventilation with added pure CO₂ at 2000–3000 ppm, and reduced ventilation with CO₂ at 2–3000 ppm and bioeffluents. Children were subjected to a digital cognitive test battery (CANTAB) in the evening prior to sleep and on the next morning after breakfast. Sleep quality was monitored with wrist actigraphs. Results There were no significant exposure effects on cognitive performance. Sleep efficiency was significantly lower at high ventilation with CO₂ at 700 ppm which is considered to be a chance effect. No other effects were seen, and no relation between air quality during sleep and next-morning cognitive performance was observed in the children emitting an estimated 10 l CO₂ /h per child. Conclusions No effect of CO₂ during sleep was found on next day cognition. The children were awakened in the morning, and spent from 45–70 min in well-ventilated rooms before they were tested. Hence, it cannot be precluded that the children have benefitted from the good indoor air quality conditions before and during the testing period. The slightly better sleep efficiency during high CO₂ concentrations might be a chance finding. Hence, replication is needed in actual bedrooms controlling for other external factors before any generalizations can be made.

Keywords

EN

sleep quality; cognition; indoor air; CO2 exposure; school children; RCT study

• Publisher: Instytut Medycyny Pracy im. prof. dra Jerzego Nofera w Łodzi
• Journal: International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health
• Year: 2023
• Volume: 36
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 177-191

Dates

published

2023

Contributors

author

Frida B. Klausen

• Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark (Department of Public Health, Section for Environment, Occupation and Health)

author

Ali Amidi

• Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark (Department of Psychology and Behavioural Sciences)

author

Søren K. Kjærgaard

• Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark (Department of Public Health, Section for Environment, Occupation and Health)

author

Vivi Schlünssen

• Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark (Department of Public Health, Section for Environment, Occupation and Health)

author

Peter Ravn

• Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark (Department of Public Health, Section for Environment, Occupation and Health)

author

Kirsten Østergaard

• Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark (Department of Public Health, Section for Environment, Occupation and Health)

author

Vibeke H. Gutzke

• Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark (Department of Public Health, Section for Environment, Occupation and Health)

author

Marianne Glasius

• Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark (Department of Chemistry)

author

Therese K. Grønborg

• Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark (Department of Public Health, Research Section of Biostatistics)

author

Stefan N. Hansen

• Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark (Department of Public Health, Research Section of Biostatistics)

author

Robert Zachariae

• Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark (Department of Psychology and Behavioural Sciences)

author

Pawel Wargocki

• Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark (Department of Environmental and Resource Engineering)

author

Torben Sigsgaard

• Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark (Department of Public Health, Section for Environment, Occupation and Health)

Identifiers

DOI

10.13075/ijomeh.1896.02032

Biblioteka Nauki

2203016