Romantic Relationships may hamper Sleep Patterns, finds study

A recent study conducted among Chinese adolescents has found that initiating and ending romantic relationships can contribute to sleep issues, particularly in younger girls, emphasizing the need for education on healthy romantic relationships to ensure sound sleep in early adolescence.

The research involved surveying 7,072 Chinese adolescents in November-December 2015 and then again one year later. Adolescents were asked about their romantic experiences, including starting a romantic relationship (SRR) and experiencing romantic breakups. The survey also assessed various factors such as sleep duration, insomnia symptoms, depressive symptoms, substance use, and demographics.

Key Findings:

Insomnia symptoms were prevalent, with 15.2% and 14.7% of the adolescents exhibiting such symptoms at the baseline and 1-year follow-up, respectively. Additionally, 47.7% and 42.1% reported short sleep duration (less than 7 hours per night) at the baseline and follow-up, respectively.

After accounting for factors like depressive symptoms, substance use, and demographics, the study found that starting a romantic relationship and breakups were linked to a 35-45% increased likelihood of experiencing insomnia symptoms at the baseline. Adolescents who had both starting a romantic relationship and breakups experienced a significantly higher likelihood of short sleep duration (OR=1.28).

Furthermore, both starting a romantic relationship (OR=1.61) and breakups (OR=1.43) were associated with an increased likelihood of developing insomnia symptoms at the 1-year follow-up.