Later bedtimes, less sleep in childhood associated with substance use in mid-teens
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Key takeaways:
- Later bedtime at age 5 years was associated with 26% higher odds of trying marijuana as a teen.
- Teens with later bedtimes were 39% more likely to try alcohol and 34% more likely to try marijuana.
Later bedtime and shorter sleep duration at ages 5 and 9 years were associated with a greater likelihood of children trying alcohol or marijuana by age 15 years, according to study findings published in Annals of Epidemiology.
“We examined the longitudinal associations of worse childhood sleep on the risk of substance use by age 15 in a diverse, national sample of children,” David A. Reichenberger, PhD, postdoctoral fellow at the Knight Cardiovascular Institute and Oregon Institute of Occupational Health Sciences at Oregon Health and Science University, told Healio.
The study included 1,514 adolescents (mean age, 15.4 ± 0.6 years; 50% girls) from the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study with data about bedtime and sleep duration at ages 3, 5, 9 and 15 years. Parents reported their children’s bedtimes and sleep duration at younger ages, and 15-year-olds self-reported their sleep habits.
“Responses only approximated typical sleep, and participants were not specifically asked about daytime sleep such as naps,” Reichenberger said.
Participants reported mean bedtimes of 8:50 p.m. ± 45 minutes for 3-year-olds, 8:37 ± 40 minutes for 5-year-olds, 8:50 ± 34 minutes for 9-year-olds and 10:16 p.m. ± 1 hour and 8 minutes for 15-year-olds.
Children slept for an average of 9.5 ± 1.2 hours at age 5 years, 9.1 ± 1.1 hours at age 9 years and 8.1 ± 1.2 hours at age 15.
At age 15 years, teens who went to bed an hour later were 39% more likely to drink alcohol (adjusted OR = 1.39; 95% CI; 1.22-1.57) and 34% more likely to try marijuana (aOR = 1.34; 95% CI, 1.2-1.51). One hour less sleep among 15-year-olds was also associated with 28% higher odds for drinking alcohol (aOR = 1.28; 95% CI, 1.14-1.43).
Later bedtimes among 5-year-olds were associated with 26% higher odds for trying marijuana by age 15 years (aOR = 1.26; 95% CI, 1.01-1.58).
Children with an hour later bedtime at age 9 years were 45% more likely to drink alcohol at age 15 years (aOR = 1.45; 95% CI, 1.11-1.9), and 9-year-olds with shorter sleep duration were 19% more likely to try marijuana by age 15 years (aOR = 1.19; 95% CI, 1.04-1.36).
In contrast, 3-year-olds with later bedtimes were 26% less likely to try alcohol as a teenager (aOR = 0.74; 95% CI, 0.59-0.92), a result the researchers said diverged from prior studies.
Reichenberger said one notable limitation of this study was the parent-reported and self-reported sleep data. He said activity monitors would provide more accurate data for future studies.
“Overall, the implications of our results suggest that sleep may play a crucial role in whether children engage in substance use as teens,” Reichenberger said. “By protecting sleep throughout childhood, we may protect long-term health and encourage positive health behaviors later in life. Pediatricians should speak with families about children’s bedtime routines and sleep habits at home and ensure that children get adequate and high-quality sleep.”