New Study Confirms Sleep Is Crucial For Pre-Teen Mental Health And Offers Advice For Parents And Caretakers
It’s not uncommon for children to experience some emotional growing pains as they move from childhood to early adolescence.
Known as “pre-adolescence,” this transitional period is often a vulnerable time– sometimes leading to the development of mental health issues such as depression and anxiety.
That’s why it is crucial for pre-teens to have the support of loved ones as they navigate this stage of development. And according to a new study published in JAMA Psychiatry, improving sleep could be one viable tool to combat mental health problems.
Getting enough quality sleep is critical for the mental health and overall well-being of people of all ages– beginning from infancy and lasting through old age.
That’s why inadequate rest among those experiencing sleep problems– such as recurrent nightmares, insomnia, or breathing problems– is linked to worse mental health.
So, researchers from the University of Melbourne recently set out to understand the emotional and behavioral impact of a variety of sleep problems on one specific demographic– pre-adolescents.
The team collected and analyzed data from a longitudinal study that included over 10,000 children, as well as their parents. The children were first assessed between the ages of 9 and 11. Then, two years later, they were assessed a second time when they were between the ages of 11 and 13.
The children’s parents and caregivers were also asked about the sleep patterns of their children, as well as any changes to their sleep, sleep problems, and any behavioral or emotional problems they had been experiencing.
The children were then categorized into different sleep groups at pre-adolescence– which were dependent upon the type of sleep problems they had experienced, as well as the severity.
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This categorization revealed that one in four– or 25%– of pre-adolescents actually experienced extremely low sleep disturbance levels. However, the majority of pre-adolescents– or 42%– experienced moderate levels of a wide range of sleep problems.
About one in seven– or 16%– of pre-adolescents had difficulties falling and staying asleep through the evening. Additionally, 17% experienced high levels of sleep problems in general.
The analysis also showed that each group differed regarding levels of experienced behavioral and emotional difficulties– including problems such as anxiety, withdrawal, rule-breaking, and aggression. In fact, the pre-adolescents who experienced more of these difficulties also reported suffering from sleep problems that were more severe.
Interestingly, though, once the adolescents were assessed for a second time two years later, there was an overall shift in the prevalence of sleep problems.
At that point, one-third of the young teens reported difficulty falling and staying asleep. On the flip side, one-third also reported experiencing low levels of sleep problems.
However, just one in five young teenagers experienced moderate levels of a range of problems– representing a decrease from the previously-reported 42%.
Still, for most young teens, sleep patterns actually did not change throughout this transition period– despite a minority of the participants showing either deterioration or improvements in their sleep.
It is crucial to note, though, that when adolescents saw an increase in sleep problems, they also experienced increased behavioral and emotional problems.
This effect was most notable in emotional problems– sometimes resulting in depressed moods or increased anxiety– and has led the research team to underscore the importance of adolescents getting adequate sleep.
“Our findings indicate that treating sleep problems could be an effective way to improve mental health symptoms in young teens, and highlights the importance of good sleep for their mental well-being and may have long-lasting benefits throughout adolescence and beyond,” said Rebecca Cooper, the study’s lead author.
In addition to helping mental health, other studies have also shown that good sleep can support everything from physical health and cognition to school performance and a decrease in risky behavior.
Parents and caregivers can model good sleep habits for their children, too– since research has shown that teens are more likely to achieve a good night’s sleep if their parents also sleep well.
Plus, there are other great ways for caretakers to support young adolescents’ sleep patterns.
Primarily, you can encourage young teens to participate in regular physical activity as well as spend time outside– since daylight exposure can help regulate circadian rhythms.
Additionally, it can be helpful to talk to your teen about avoiding caffeine during the afternoon and evening– since coffee and other caffeinated beverages can make it difficult to both fall asleep and wake up in the morning.
Wind-down activities are also great additions to bedtime routines. Encourage your child to shut down their devices at least one hour before sleep to limit screen time, and instead suggest alternatives– such as reading, stretching, or listening to calming music.
“Saying ‘no’ to that extra 15 minutes on their phones or ‘just five more minutes’ of TV is worth doing in order to ensure your young people get a good night’s sleep,” Cooper said.
Finally, helping your teen get on a consistent sleep schedule– where they fall asleep and wake up at the same time every single day– can make a large difference.
And if sleep problems are persistent, you can always reach out to a medical professional for alternative advice and recommendations.
To read the study’s complete findings, visit the link here.
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