Parents of adolescents who do not get enough sleep are often worried about whether chronic sleep deprivation is detrimental to their adolescent’s daily functioning. An article titled, “Chronic Insomnia Affects Functioning of Adolescents,” published in Neuropsychiatry Reviews, May 2008, volume 9, number 5, reports on a study recently published in March 2008 in the Journal of Adolescent Health. The results were concerning. The study “assessed insomnia status as well as somatic, psychological, and interpersonal functioning of 4,175 youths ages 11 to 17. Nearly 27% reported at least one symptom of insomnia, and about 5% met diagnostic criteria for insomnia. At one-year follow-up, about 46% of those who reported one or more symptoms at baseline remained cases, and 33.5% reported daytime fatigue or sleepiness in addition to the symptoms. DSM-IV criteria for chronic insomnia were met by 24% of participants at follow-up.” The results show that daytime sleepiness, in particular, can have a significant impact on an adolescent’s daily functioning, including lowered performance in school. The results of this study suggest that parents of adolescents who experience chronic sleep deprivation should take action to insure that their adolescents get proper sleep on a nightly basis.
The Bottom Line: Chronic insomnia in adolescents is associated with impaired daily functioning.
Reference: http://www.neuropsychiatryreviews.com/08may/InsomniaAdolescentFunctioning.html
Dr. Tanya Korkosz
Dr. Jeffrey Speller
Psychopharmacology Associates New England