Green Space, Mental Health and Sleep

世界卫生组织指出，10%至20%的儿童和青少年有儿科心理健康问题。 这些疾病预计到2030年将造成6万亿美元的全球经济负担。在RI， 大约19%的17岁以下儿童有心理健康问题， 对他们的发展、教育、同伴关系和身体健康产生不利影响。睡眠是 一个越来越被认可的精神健康和福祉的贡献者。在儿童中， 睡眠与精神和身体健康的下降有关。暴露于绿色空间， 广泛定义为各种形式的植被，已被证明可以赋予许多健康 效益在这项研究中，我们建议探索暴露于绿地之间的关联 和心理健康的结果。目标1。睡眠和绿色空间 确定绿色空间利用率（GPS衍生的日常活动和 环境特征）与儿童的睡眠（持续时间、定时、规律性）有关。假设 1.1儿童在绿地上花费更多的时间，这是由GPS得出的（即，利用率）将有 更早，更长和更有规律的睡眠比孩子花更少的时间在绿色空间。 假设1.2.绿地利用会通过增加光照影响睡眠， 使用加速度计测量的更高水平的身体活动和更低水平的压力 通过IL-1 β测量。目标二。心理健康、绿地和睡眠。确定是否 绿色空间利用通过睡眠行为与心理健康和幸福感相关。 假设2.1：儿童在绿色空间中花费更多时间将减少心理健康 通过经验证的PROMIS®焦虑，认知功能， 心理压力和健康相比，儿童花更少的时间在绿地。 假设2.2：绿地利用将通过以下方式影响心理健康和幸福感： 使用体动记录仪评估睡眠行为（持续时间、时间、规律性）。目标3。探索性 瞄准绿色空间，表观遗传学，睡眠和健康。探索潜在的表观遗传 绿色空间对儿童睡眠和健康的贡献。探索性假设1.1. 高绿地使用者和低绿地使用者之间的差异DNA甲基化模式可能在以下方面不同： 与压力反应、睡眠不足、光照或体力活动相关的基因。 我们将在罗得岛开展工作，那里目前正致力于扩大进入树冠层的机会 在整个州都是独一无二的因此，健康和政策 我们的研究的影响是及时的，并可能对其他感兴趣的国家产生影响， 探索利用绿色空间改善儿童及其家庭的健康。

The WHO indicates 10% to 20% of children and adolescents have pediatric mental health disorders, contributing to a projected worldwide economic burden of $6 trillion by 2030. In RI, approximately 19% of children under the age of 17 have mental health challenges that can adversely affect their development, education, peer relationships, and physical health. Sleep is an increasingly recognized contributor to mental health and well-being. In children, inadequate sleep has been linked to diminished mental and physical health. Exposure to greenspace, broadly defined as various forms of vegetation, has been shown to confer numerous health benefits. In this study, we propose to explore the association between exposure to greenspace and mental health outcomes in elementary school children. Aim 1. Sleep and greenspace. Determine how green space utilization (GPS-derived measures of daily activity and environmental features) is related to sleep (duration, timing, regularity) in children. Hypothesis 1.1 Children spending more time in greenspace as derived by GPS (i.e., utilization) will have earlier, longer and more regular sleep than children spending less time in greenspace. Hypothesis 1.2. Greenspace utilization will influence sleep through increased light exposure, higher levels of physical activity measured using accelerometry, and lower levels of stress measured by IL-1 beta. Aim 2. Mental health, greenspace and sleep. Determine whether greenspace utilization is associated with mental health and wellbeing via sleep behaviors. Hypothesis 2.1: Children spending more time in greenspace will have fewer mental health symptoms as measured by validated PROMIS® measures of anxiety, cognitive functioning, psychological stress and wellbeing compared to children spending less time in greenspace. Hypothesis 2.2: Greenspace utilization will influence mental health and well-being through sleep behavior (duration, timing, regularity) assessed using actigraphy. Aim 3. Exploratory Aim. Greenspace, epigenetics, sleep and wellbeing. Explore the potential epigenetic contribution of greenspace on sleep and wellbeing in children. Exploratory Hypothesis 1.1. Patterns of differential DNA methylation between high and low greenspace users may differ in genes associated with stress response, inadequate sleep, light exposure, or physical activity. We will work in Rhode Island, which is currently engaged in expanding access to tree-canopy across the entire state – a unique designation in the US. Thus, the health and policy implications of our study is timely, and can have implications for other states interested in exploring the use green space to improve health among children and their families.