Child Sleep Patterns: Lack Of Sleep Or Late Bedtimes In Children Linked To Higher Risk Of Alcohol And Drug Use In Adulthood
Child Sleep Patterns: New research warns that children who don’t get enough sleep are at a higher risk of falling into the trap of alcohol and drug use.
According to a study published in the Annals of Epidemiology, teenagers who had later bedtimes and less sleep during childhood were more likely to have tried alcohol or cannabis by the age of 15.
Adequate nighttime sleep is crucial for children’s health and development. However, sleep patterns in childhood may also be related to future drug use.
Child Sleep Patterns, Professor Anne-Marie Chang, the lead author of this study from Penn State University, stated, “According to the findings of this study, there are certain critical ages at which, with appropriate interventions, children’s sleep patterns can be improved, thereby preventing the negative effects of insufficient sleep in the future.”
Child Sleep Patterns, She emphasizes that if sleep can be improved during school-age years, this can not only lead to better sleep health but also influence other aspects such as the decision to engage in risky behaviors like alcohol and drug use.
Researchers at Penn State considered the sleep patterns of a group of children at various stages of development to investigate whether this could affect future drug use. The team focused on two different aspects of sleep health: total sleep duration and bedtime.
Child Sleep Patterns: Lack Of Sleep Or Late Bedtimes In Children
Child Sleep Patterns, They explained that if children, especially during school years, go to bed later, it can affect their ability to get quality sleep.
Dr. David Richenberg, one of the authors of this paper, mentioned that sleep has various aspects. For children, it is important because it aids in their growth. The brains of children, especially at younger ages, have a greater capacity for change and adaptation. This ability allows the brain to alter its structure and function in response to new experiences and learning. Healthy and sufficient sleep during this period is crucial because it supports essential processes like learning, memory, and emotional regulation.
Child Sleep Patterns, He also mentioned that poor sleep quality and quantity can significantly impact children’s and teenagers’ physical health and decision-making abilities, which, in turn, can be linked to their decision to use drugs.
This study, published in the Annals of Epidemiology, analyzed data from 1,514 children in 20 U.S. cities. Parents reported their children’s bedtime at ages 3, 5, and 9, as well as their sleep duration at ages 5 and 9.
Child Sleep Patterns, When the researchers assessed the relationship between bedtime and sleep duration with alcohol and drug use in adolescence, they found that children who went to bed later at age 9 were 45% more likely to turn to alcohol by age 15 compared to children who went to bed earlier at the same age. However, bedtime at age 5 and sleep duration at ages 5 or 9 did not have the same effect.
Child Sleep Patterns, Regarding cannabis use, going to bed later at age 5 was associated with a 26% increase in the likelihood of trying cannabis by age 15, while one hour less sleep at age 9 was associated with a 19% increase in the likelihood of trying cannabis by age 15.
The researchers also analyzed data from 15-year-old teenagers who self-reported their bedtime, sleep duration, and alcohol and cannabis use. They found that teenagers with later bedtimes were 39% more likely to drink alcohol and 34% more likely to use cannabis. Sleeping one hour less was also associated with a 28% increase in the likelihood of having tried alcohol in their lifetime, but it was not linked to cannabis use.
Child Sleep Patterns, According to Dr. Richenberg, sleep during the pre-adolescent years is crucial regarding the risk of future drug use. Because this period is close to puberty, significant and rapid physical and psychological changes occur in children, and their brains are actively developing and growing. He refers to previous research that has shown that shorter sleep duration and later bedtimes may increase impulsive behavior and decision-making difficulties (problems in analyzing information and making appropriate choices), which in turn can influence decisions related to drug use.
Child Sleep Patterns, Researchers say creating an environment conducive to sleep and setting an age-appropriate bedtime are “key elements” in ensuring healthy sleep for school-age children.
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