Adolescent Health Crisis: What Sleep-Related Factors Contribute to a Decline in Mental Health and Safety?

摘要

Sleep loss can disrupt neuron growth in the brain during adolescence, a critical period forcognitive development. Only 7.6% of teens get the recommended 9-10 hours of sleep. This studyevaluates the relationship between sleep and adolescent mental health, which impacts physicalhealth, safety and performance. The rise by 200% of disability and death rates during adolescencemay be related to mental health. 160 people participated: 62 males and 98 females ranging in agefrom 14-17. Participants completed a 3-part assessment: a questionnaire assessing their sleephabits, an anxiety scale (AFARS), and a depression scale (CDS-DC). Multiple regressionanalyses were used to determine the extent to which sleep-related factors predict depression andanxiety. The overall depression and anxiety models were significant. School start time was asignificant predictor of depression, and often being tired at school predicted anxiety. School starttime predicted depression; however, it was not a significant predictor of anxiety. While an earlyschool start time has been found to have many significant negative outcomes, the average highschool starts at 7:30. The findings of this study imply that the benefit of offering a later schoolstart outweigh potential inconveniences.