Study links Late Sleep Schedules to Reduced Activity and Higher Carb Intake in Teens

A new study to be presented at the SLEEP 2024 annual meeting found that circadian misalignment, which is highly prevalent in adolescents, is linked with carbohydrate consumption and sedentary behavior in teens.

According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, sleep is essential to health, and healthy sleep requires adequate duration, good quality, appropriate timing and regularity, and the absence of sleep disturbances or disorders. A delayed sleep schedule, characterized by sleep timing that is later than conventional or socially acceptable timing, is more common among adolescents and young adults.

A late sleeping schedule is also closely linked to increased carbohydrate consumption. Going to bed late decreases overall activity levels, leading to more sedentary behavior. This reduction in physical activity can influence dietary habits, causing individuals to consume quick energy sources, such as carbohydrates, to compensate for the lack of movement and energy expenditure.

“Delaying sleep schedules is normal during puberty and adolescence; however, some adolescents delay their sleep schedule to an extent that they become misaligned with the day-night cycle, their social schedules, and responsibilities,” said principal investigator Julio Fernandez-Mendoz.

The study involved 377 adolescents who had a minimum of three nights of at-home actigraphy and one night of in-lab polysomnography. These tests helped calculate their sleep midpoint and sleep regularity. Physical activity was also measured and carbohydrate intake was assessed using a survey.

Results showed that a later sleep schedule was significantly associated with greater intake of carbohydrates, and this relationship was partially explained by irregular sleep timing. A later sleep schedule was associated with greater sedentary behaviour, even after adjusting for variables such as demographics, sleep disorders, and insufficient sleep.

“Proper circadian alignment is necessary for the health of adolescents. Circadian misalignment of the sleep-wake cycle, and its associated variability in sleep duration, should be an integral part of interventions targeting poor dietary choices and sedentarism in youth,” said Fernandez.

Reference: Pura Ballester-Navarro, Natasha Morales-Ghinaglia, Susan Calhoun, Jason Liao, Alexandros Vgontzas, Duanping Liao, Edward Bixler, Julio Fernandez-Mendoza, 0165 Association of Circadian Misalignment with Diet and Physical Activity in Adolescents, Sleep, Volume 47, Issue Supplement_1, May 2024, Page A71, https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/zsae067.0165