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Objective: Short sleep and evening phase preference associate with impaired self-control, yet few studies have assessed the efficacy of sleep extension for improving this behavioral domain. Thus, this secondary analysis of a behavioral sleep intervention measured whether an intervention that enhanced children's sleep also affected self-control. Differences by chronotype were also explored., Methods: Sixty-seven children (8-11 yr), who reportedly slept <9.5 hr/d, were randomized to either a control or sleep intervention condition (i.e., 4-session behavioral intervention to enhance sleep by 1-1.5 hr/night). Chronotype was assessed using the Child Chronotype Questionnaire at baseline, and self-control was assessed using the Self-Control Rating Scale (SCRS, a caregiver report) at baseline and 8 weeks postrandomization. Total sleep time (TST) was measured using wrist actigraphy for 1 week at both baseline and 8 weeks postrandomization. Partial correlations and mixed-model ANOVAs were used for statistical analyses, with age as a covariate., Results: At baseline, children with shorter TST (r = -0.29, p = 0.02) and an evening preference (r = 0.26, p = 0.049) were perceived as having lower self-control by their caregivers. Significant condition*time interaction effects were found for TST ( p < 0.001) and SCRS score ( p = 0.046): From baseline to follow-up, children randomized to the sleep intervention exhibited a significant increase in TST and were perceived as having greater self-control by their caregiver; children randomized to the control condition exhibited no change in TST or in SCRS score. The condition*chronotype*time interaction effect was not significant., Conclusion: A brief sleep intervention that enhanced TST also resulted in enhanced caregiver reported self-control in school-age children. Results add to the growing evidence for the importance of sleep health in children., Competing Interests: Dr. C. N. Hart previously provided consultation work to Weight Watchers International, and Dr. E. Jelalian is currently a Consultant for Weight Watchers International. Dr. R. R. Wing is on the Scientific Advisory Board at NOOM. Neither Weight Watchers nor NOOM provided financial support for this study, nor did they have any influence on the methods in this study. The other authors have no financial relationships relevant to this article to disclose. There are no additional conflicts of interest relevant to this article to disclose., (Copyright © 2024 Written work prepared by employees of the Federal Government as part of their official duties is, under the U.S. Copyright Act, a “work of the United States Government” for which copyright protection under Title 17 of the United States Code is not available. As such, copyright does not extend to the contributions of employees of the Federal Government.)

Whether the effect of a brief behavioral sleep intervention on child weight status resulted from observed differences in sleep duration and/or bedtimes was assessed. Findings demonstrate that the intervention's beneficial effect on weight status was due to earlier bedtimes, suggesting the potential importance of earlier bedtimes for obesity prevention., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest Supported by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI; R01HL092910 to C.N.H.). M.A.C. was supported in part by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS; P20GM139743). The NHLBI and NIGMS played no role in the design and conduct of the study; collection, management, analysis, and interpretation of the data; preparation, review, or approval of the manuscript; and decision to submit the manuscript for publication. C.N.H. is currently providing consultation on a grant funded by the Novo Nordisk Foundation. C.N.H. and E.J. previously provided consultation to Weight Watchers International. R.R.W. previously served on the Scientific Advisory Board at NOOM. Neither the Novo Nordisk Foundation, Weight Watchers, nor NOOM provided financial support for this study, nor did they have any influence on the methods in this study. There are no additional conflicts of interest relevant to this article to disclose., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)