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Teenagers don’t get enough sleep, because they’re up late making bad decisions, right?
But what if it’s the other way around? But could their lack of sleep lead to partying?
Hey everyone, julia here for DNews
Teenagers don’t get enough sleep, some studies say almost half of American teenagers don’t
get enough sleep. But maybe that’s because they’re forced into a schedule counter to
their biological clocks. Their internal clocks tick a little later than full grown adults.
They sleep longer and stay awake later. Yet thanks to early start times for high schools,
they often get less than 7 of their recommended 9-9 ½ hours of sleep.
A recent study published in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, suggests
that sleep problems in teenagers mean more than just an attitude and poor grades. Trouble
sleeping or not getting enough sleep strongly predicted not just alcohol use, but associated
problematic behaviors, like binge-drinking, driving under the influence and risky sexual
behavior.
Previous studies show a relation between sleep problems and substance abuse in high risk
populations, but this study controlled for that. These were kids who, for whatever reason
weren’t sleeping enough.
The researchers looked at data collected from interviews and questionnaires from The National
Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health. The data was collected in three waves,
1st wave 1994 to 1995; second wave: 1996; third wave: 2001 to 2002. Controlling for
previous substance abuse, those sleepy high schoolers in the mid-90s, were more likely
to have drinking problems 6 or 7 years later.
The researchers found that having trouble sleeping or not getting enough sleep in the
1st wave strongly predicted alcohol problems in the 2nd wave, the prediction for alcohol
issues in the third wave was less strong but still significant.
While some of sleepiness can be attributed to an unfriendly schedule, the rates of insomnia
and sleep issues reported in this study were about the same for adults. One in ten reported
chronic insomnia while three in ten report occasional insomnia. This points to a biological
basis for sleeping problems.
This isn’t the first study to show a correlation between being tired and making bad decisions.
Studies often show not getting enough sleeps inhibits self-regulation, something teens
already struggle with.
Why do teens struggle more than the rest of us? Well mainly because their pre-frontal
cortex isn’t fully developed yet. This part of the brain sits just behind the forehead
and it’s important for what’s called “executive functioning”. Things like planning, memory,
organization and mood. More importantly in the case of the sleepy teens, this part of
the brain helps you weigh the cost and benefits of your choices.
Studies show that a lack of sleep reduces activity in this part of the brain, this disruption
increases risk taking behavior. It’s easy to see how poor sleep and the teenage brain
combine and can lead to bad decisions. Being a teenager and being sleep deprived is a double
whammy for the prefrontal cortex.
So if you’re a teen, get more sleep. Seriously. If you’re a parent of a teen, help them
get the sleep they need. You might try to talk to them about how important sleep is
for the developing brain. Keep them on a regular sleep schedule and cut out electronics like
phones and laptops before bed. It could help curb some of the more dangerous of adolescent
behaviors.
To learn more about why teenagers need more sleep or to find out why you need to sleep
at all, check these videos below.
So, throwing it back to you commenters, is partying late really that excellent? Do you
party because you’re sleep deprived? Comment below! oh and don’t forget to hit that subscribe
button!
Let us know! We can be found on the twitter @Dnews