Summary: A study led by Penn State researchers found a significant link between childhood sleep patterns, specifically later bedtimes and shorter sleep duration, and an increased likelihood of alcohol and marijuana use by adolescence. The study suggests that improving sleep habits during childhood could potentially reduce the risk of substance use later in life. The research emphasizes the importance of establishing healthy sleep practices early on, particularly as children approach adolescence, a critical period for brain development and decision-making.
Key Takeaways:
- Link Between Sleep and Substance Use: The study found that later bedtimes and shorter sleep duration during childhood are associated with a higher risk of alcohol and marijuana use by age 15, highlighting the potential impact of sleep patterns on future substance use behaviors.
- Critical Developmental Period: The research underscores the importance of sleep during critical stages of development, particularly as children approach adolescence, where poor sleep may lead to impulsivity and impaired decision-making, increasing the likelihood of engaging in risky behaviors like substance use.
- Intervention Opportunity: The findings suggest that targeting sleep improvement during childhood could serve as a preventive measure to reduce the risk of substance use in adolescence.
A good night’s sleep is essential for children’s health and development, but childhood sleep patterns may also be linked to future substance use.
A new study led by a team of Penn State researchers found that adolescents were more likely to have consumed alcohol or tried marijuana by age 15 if they went to bed later and slept fewer hours during childhood and adolescence. The team published their findings in Annals of Epidemiology.
“The study suggests that there might be some critical ages when sleep can be a target for intervention,” says Anne-Marie Chang, PhD, associate professor of biobehavioral health at Penn State and senior author of the paper, in a release. “If we improve sleep in the school-age population, not only could that show improvements in sleep health but in other aspects like the decision to engage in risky behaviors like alcohol and other substance use.”
Sleep Health’s Role in Development
The research team explored childhood sleep at different developmental stages within the same sample of children to see if there’s an impact on later substance use. They focused on two different facets of sleep health—total duration of sleep and time of sleep or bedtime. The researchers explained that if children, especially school-aged children, go to bed later, it could affect their ability to sleep well.
“Sleep is multifaceted. It’s important for children because it helps with growth and development. The brain is more plastic during younger ages, and you want healthy sleep to support neural development,” says David Reichenberger, co-lead author who earned his doctoral degree in biobehavioral health at Penn State during the time of the research. “Poor sleep health could have downstream effects on their physical health as well as decision making, which could in turn be related to their decision to engage in substance use.”
Study Findings and Longitudinal Associations
The study drew on data from 1,514 children in the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study, a diverse longitudinal birth cohort of children from 20 cities across the United States. Parents reported their child’s regular weekday bedtime at ages 3, 5, and 9. They also reported their child’s sleep duration at ages 5 and 9.
When the research team evaluated the relationship between childhood bedtime and sleep duration with future alcohol and marijuana use as teens, they found a longitudinal association. Teens were 45% more likely to try alcohol by age 15 if they had a later bedtime at age 9 when compared to other children with earlier bedtimes at age 9.
However, bedtime at age 5 wasn’t associated with future alcohol use, nor was sleep duration at ages 5 or 9. When it came to marijuana use, later bedtime at age 5 was associated with 26% increased odds of trying marijuana by age 15, while sleeping an hour less at age 9 was associated with 19% increased odds of trying marijuana by age 15.
Implications for Long-Term Health and Well-Being
The research team also examined data from adolescents at age 15, who self-reported their bedtime, sleep duration, and alcohol and marijuana use. They found that teens with a later bedtime had a 39% greater chance of drinking alcohol and a 34% greater chance of trying marijuana. Sleeping one hour less was associated with 28% increased odds of ever trying alcohol but wasn’t associated with marijuana use.
“Sleep at ages closer to adolescence is the most crucial in terms of future substance use risk. It’s that stage of development when children are rapidly changing and their brain is maturing,” Reichenberger says in a release, noting that previous research by other groups suggests that shorter sleep duration and later bedtimes may increase impulsivity and impair decision-making, which could influence substance use choices.
Researchers say the findings highlight the critical role of sleep across multiple aspects of long-term health and well-being. For school-age children, creating an environment that’s conducive for sleep and establishing an age-appropriate bedtime are key elements for cultivating good sleep.
“Exploring the connection between sleep and substance use is a critical area of research because we continue to struggle with an epidemic of opioid addiction and substance use,” Chang says in a release. “It’s an important area to continue to research and to disseminate our research findings to the broader population, families, and health care professionals.”
