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Reduced Sleep On School Nights Begins In Early Adolescence

Date:
June 9, 2008
Source:
American Academy of Sleep Medicine
Summary:
The trend for delays and reductions of school-night sleep begins early in adolescence, even with delayed school start times. According to the results, 37 percent of the seventh graders were falling asleep after 11 p.m. with 66 percent getting less than nine hours on school nights.
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The trend for delays and reductions of school-night sleep begins early in adolescence, even with delayed school start times, according to a research abstract that will be presented on Junie 9 at SLEEP 2008, the 22nd Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies (APSS).

The study, authored by Stephanie Apollon, Amy Wolfson and colleagues of the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Mass., focused on 96 seventh graders who completed the School Sleep Habits Questionnaire (school/weekend sleep variables, caffeine use) and assessed sleep for seven days via diaries and actigraphy. Twenty-five percent of the students were from families with incomes below $20,000. Effects of sex, family income, and access to health care were analyzed.

According to the results, 37 percent of the seventh graders were falling asleep after 11 p.m. with 66 percent getting less than nine hours on school nights. Family incomes below $40,000 were significantly associated with more delayed sleep patterns, particularly on weekends, and increased caffeine use. Although income was not significantly associated with health care provider use, seventh graders who had regular contact with a health care provider had healthier school-night sleep patterns than those without health care (e.g., 25 minutes more sleep, 30 min. earlier bed times, less delayed sleep schedules).

"These findings demonstrate that the trend for delays and reductions of school-night sleep begin early in adolescence, even with delayed school start times," said Amy R. Wolfson, PhD, of the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Mass., who developed the concept for this study that is funded by NICHD. "Other demographic factors exacerbate young adolescents' sleep patterns. Middle schoolers from families with either low income or poor access to physicians obtained less sleep, had more delayed schedules, and reported more frequent caffeine use."

It is recommended that adolescents get nine hours of nightly sleep.


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Materials provided by American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.


Cite This Page:

American Academy of Sleep Medicine. "Reduced Sleep On School Nights Begins In Early Adolescence." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 9 June 2008. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080609071341.htm>.
American Academy of Sleep Medicine. (2008, June 9). Reduced Sleep On School Nights Begins In Early Adolescence. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 28, 2024 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080609071341.htm
American Academy of Sleep Medicine. "Reduced Sleep On School Nights Begins In Early Adolescence." ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080609071341.htm (accessed March 28, 2024).

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