Irregular sleep patterns in teenagers tied to higher risk of school-related problems

USA: Stabilizing sleep schedules in adolescents may be an important tool to promote functioning at school, is the conclusion drawn from a recent study.

The study presented at SLEEP 2023 claimed that teens with greater variability in their sleep patterns may be at a greater risk for school-related problems. It showed that teens with greater night-to-night variability in the time they fell asleep were 42% more likely to have been suspended or expelled in the past two years, 29% more likely to have received a D or F in any course, and 26% more likely to have ever failed a course. 

Teens with greater variability in sleep duration also at 31% higher likelihood of suspension or expulsion. 

“Variability in sleep duration and later sleep timing were associated with worse academic performance and school-related behaviors in our sample,” said lead author Gina Marie Mathew, who has a doctorate in biobehavioral health and is a postdoctoral associate at Stony Brook Medicine in Stony Brook, New York. “The results highlight the importance of early, regular sleep timing and duration for optimal academic performance and school-related behavioral functioning in adolescence.”

Healthy sleep requires adequate duration, appropriate timing, good quality, regularity, and the absence of sleep disturbances or disorders. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends that teens sleep 8 to 10 hours regularly to promote optimal health.

The researchers collected data from more than 700 students in a sub-study of the age 15 wave of the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study, a national sample of diverse teens. Participants wore an actigraphy device on their wrist for about one week to track their movement and estimate their sleep patterns. The teens also completed a survey to assess their grades and identify current or past problems at school. Analyses adjusted the results for demographic and household characteristics, as well as symptoms of depression and anxiety.

Mathew noted that the findings inform recommendations for pediatricians and parents about the potential impact of sleep timing and variability on school-related outcomes.

“Stabilizing sleep schedules in adolescents may be an important tool to promote functioning at school,” she said.