Young people suffering from cystic fibrosis (CF) are getting less sleep than their healthy peers, a world-first Australian study has found.
The study, released by Monash University on Monday, saw CF patients fitted with a wristwatch to monitor sleeping habits.
Rosemary Horne, the lead author of the study, said on Monday that "sleep is important for everyone, but particularly children."
"If they have poor sleep during the night, they have worse outcomes in the day. They can't pay attention in school, they feel tired, grumpy and it can be very disruptive."
Researchers measured the sleep of 87 Victorian children with CF against 55 health participants over a two week period.
Although the CF patients were spending as much time in bed as the control group, they were awake more often.
Caitlin Magagna, a 17-year-old participant in the trial with CF, said she often had six or seven hours a night.
"About 50 percent of the time I wake up in the night and I don't really know why. I know from the study that my oxygen supply can drop and I get quite short of breath," she said.
"For the past few months, I feel like I'm always tired... there have been a couple of times where I have fallen asleep in class or felt like I was on the verge of it."
Horne said there was some evidence that sleeping better could improve lung function among CF patients.
Cystic fibrosis is a hereditary disorder that affects the lungs, pancreas, liver, kidneys and intestine. The disease can cause breathing difficulties as well as lung infections, sinus infections and poor growth.
