Sleep and Physical Activity Among Youth with Visual Impairments

Youth with visual impairments (VI) face unique sleep challenges due to disrupted circadian rhythm synchronization, yet despite evidence linking physical activity to improved sleep, a recent scoping review identified only five relevant studies in this population, none of which directly examined this relationship to address this gap, the purpose of the present study was to examine the relationship between sleep and physical activity and mental health in youth with VI. Participants included 37 youth (boys = 18; girls = 19) ranging in age from 9 to 19 years. Degree and onset of VI varied among the sample with six being congenitally blind, 11 with the most severe VI, and 26 with greater vision. Participants completed a sleep assessment (School Sleep Habits Survey (SSHS)), a fitness assessment (supine to stand), a physical activity assessment (Rapid Assessment of Physical Activity (RAPA)), and a quality-of-life assessment (VISION-QL). within a period of five days during the summer. Over one-third of children and adolescents (38.2%) did not meet age-appropriate sleep duration recommendations, and weeknight sleep onset latency averaged 32 minutes, exceeding recommended thresholds. Children with VI meeting sleep recommendations had significantly higher flexibility and strength-based physical activity scores than those who did not (p = .017), and longer weeknight total sleep time was positively correlated with greater flexibility and strength activity (r = .36, p = .039). No significant associations were found between sleep variables and aerobic physical activity, with the exception of a positive correlation between aerobic activity and daytime sleepiness (r = .33, p = .047). Overall, physical activity appeared to influence sleep, and sleep was strongly associated with mental health among youth with VI similar to patterns observed in sighted peers. The ability to detect light changes is important for the circadian rhythm, which could have affected sleep in youth with VI. The present study provides initial insight into sleep in youth with VI. Future research should examine the impact of various levels of physical activity upon sleep.