Meta-analysis provides normative pediatric sleep data across age groups

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European respiratory review : an official journal of the European Respiratory Society Published May 14, 2026 Medically reviewed May 14, 2026 Study authors: Van Eyck Annelies, de Caen Genevieve, Bokhaut Julia, Blinder Henrietta, Bouziotis Jason, Katz Sherri… PubMed ↗ DOI ↗ By Dr. Sofia Müller, MD · Lifespan & Whole-Person Care

Key Takeaway

Use these normative pediatric polysomnographic data as reference values, noting age-related trends.

This meta-analysis pooled data from 2947 healthy children to establish normative polysomnographic parameters across age. The analysis included multiple sleep outcomes such as total sleep time, sleep stages, arousals, leg movements, and respiratory indices.

Most polysomnographic parameters showed age-related decreases, including total sleep time, sleep period time, REM sleep, number of sleep cycles, total arousals, leg movements, periodic leg movement index, central apnoea index, apnoea-hypopnoea index, mean oxygen saturation, and mean heart rate in sleep and REM. Conversely, age-related increases were observed for number of awakenings, stage N2 sleep, stage shifts, and oxygen nadir. Sleep latency was influenced by sex, decreasing by 1.27 minutes per 10% increase in proportion of males.

Effect sizes and confidence intervals were not reported for most outcomes, limiting the precision of estimates. The meta-analysis is based on observational studies, so no causal inferences can be drawn. Individual study variability may exist.

These normative data can be used as control values in clinical and research contexts for pediatric sleep assessment, though clinicians should consider the lack of reported effect sizes and potential heterogeneity across studies.

Study Details

Study typeMeta analysis

EvidenceLevel 1

PublishedApr 2026

PMID42128488

View Original Abstract ↓

INTRODUCTION: There is a lack of normative values for polysomnographic parameters in childhood. This study presents a comprehensive meta-analysis of paediatric polysomnography parameters scored using recent criteria to establish normative values adjusted for age and sex. METHODOLOGY: A systematic search was conducted in Web of Science and Scopus for studies that performed overnight polysomnography in healthy children and reported polysomnographic parameters scored using the American Academy of Sleep Medicine criteria (2007 or 2012). Children with previously diagnosed health conditions were excluded. Estimates for sleep, arousals and cardiorespiratory parameters were pooled using a random-effects meta-analysis and the influence of sex and age was assessed using meta-regression. RESULTS: Of 3612 articles, 66 studies were eligible, resulting in a sample size of 2947 healthy children. Pooled estimates and 95% confidence intervals for 34 polysomnographic parameters were established. Meta-regression revealed age-related decrease in total sleep time (TST), sleep period time, TST in stage N3 and REM, number of sleep cycles, total arousals, total leg movements, periodic leg movement index, central apnoea index, apnoea-hypopnoea index (AHI), mean peripheral oxygen saturation ( ), mean heart rate in sleep and REM, while the number of awakenings, TST in stage N2, number of stage shifts, and nadir increased with age. Sleep latency was the only parameter influenced by sex (change of -1.27 min per 10% increase in the proportion of males). CONCLUSION: This meta-analysis provides normative polysomnographic data for the paediatric population that can be used as control values in both clinical and research context.