Adolescent Sleep Linked to General Health

A recent study conducted by Fiona Baker, director of SRI’s Human Sleep Research Program, explores the intricate relationship between sleep and overall health in adolescents. While much of her previous work focused on sleep patterns in adult women, Baker has now turned her attention to the crucial phase of adolescence, which plays a vital role in both sleep and brain development.
Baker emphasizes the significance of sleep, particularly during the ages of 10 to 21 when the brain undergoes fundamental changes and maturation. Understanding the impact of sleep extends beyond viewing it as a behavior; it is essential for the entire brain’s well-being and long-term functioning.
During adolescence, the brain becomes more efficient by strengthening important connections while eliminating less relevant ones through a process known as pruning. However, inadequate sleep patterns during this critical period can affect brain development and overall health. Baker’s research aims to identify the underlying mechanisms connecting sleep, brain development, and health in teenagers, while also developing behavioral guidelines to help adolescents establish healthier sleep routines.
Various factors, including excessive screen time, anxiety, and alcohol use, can disrupt sleep and subsequently impact brain development in teenagers. One study explored the influence of bedtime screen use on sleep disturbances in over 10,000 children aged 10 to 14. Results revealed that having a TV or Internet-connected device in the bedroom, as well as leaving mobile phone ringers on overnight, led to greater sleep problems.
The COVID-19 pandemic also affected teenage sleep patterns, with later bedtimes and increased screen time having lasting consequences. Increased social media usage and video gaming were particularly linked to shorter sleep duration, later bedtimes, and delayed sleep onset.
Additionally, a separate observational study monitored brain scans of 94 teenagers over four years, examining how emerging alcohol use influenced sleep continuity, sleep architecture, and brain electrical patterns. Findings suggest that heavy drinking disrupts sleep, although it remains uncertain whether ceasing alcohol consumption can reverse these effects.
Re-reported from the article originally published in ANI.