Adolescents often experience difficulty initiating and maintaining sleep. Teenagers also have a high incidence of sleep disorders. These sleep-related issues significantly impact their quality of life and the lives of others. Age-appropriate solutions can help children manage these sleep problems. Teens, families, and health care professionals should work together to resolve this important issue.
Prevalence
Sleep problems affect about 25 percent of the adult population. These disorders cause sleep deprivation which can lead to accidents. A 2010 survey presented in the "Journal of Adolescent Health" reveals a similar concern for the adolescent population. Almost 70 percent of teenagers fail to get sufficient nightly rest. This paper also notes that African Americans and females get the least sleep. Finally, juniors and seniors showed the greatest lack of sleep. These results indicate that chronic sleep deprivation may exist in many teenagers.
Causes
Several factors including smoking tobacco can cause sleep disorders. Central nervous system control of breathing decreases during sleep and lung damage exacerbates this problem. A 2010 report in "Sleep Medicine" looked at the correlation between smoking and insomnia in teenagers. Adolescents who smoked had less difficulty initiating sleep. They also had less early morning awakenings. Finally, teenagers who used tobacco had more difficulty maintaining sleep. These data reveal that smoking may contribute to the large incidence of sleep problems in adolescents.
Impact
Sleep disorders typically cause teenagers to get either too much, or not enough, rest. A 2010 cross-sectional study in "Psychiatry Research" investigated the relationship between sleep duration and risky behaviors in adolescents. Adolescents who slept longer than usual showed more risky behaviors like truancy, violence, and drug use. Adolescents who slept shorter showed these behaviors as well as suicidal tendencies. Such findings suggest that untreated sleep disorders may contribute to teenage delinquency.
Treatments
Several experiments indicate that exogenous melatonin can help teenagers manage their sleep disorders. A 2009 report in the "Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine" reveals that melatonin intake improved the sleep of teenagers with autistic spectrum disorder and fragile X syndrome. Melatonin increased sleep duration and reduced sleep latency. A 2008 study in the "Journal of Pineal Research" showed similar results. Nightly melatonin treatment enhanced sleep maintenance in adolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders. A 2007 study in the same journal indicated that positive treatment effects may remain for up to 4 years. The children rarely experienced adverse reactions in these studies. Thus teenagers may find safe and effective relief from sleep problems using melatonin.
Education
A 2010 survey in the "Journal of Clinical Nursing" reveals that few people know about teenage sleep problems. Despite this lack of information, nurses have already adopted effective treatment strategies. Working closely with teenagers, families, and doctors begins the process. Everyone must agree on the importance of overcoming these disorders. Nurses then draw upon all available options including common sense, traditional remedies, and years of experience. Sharing and discussing these issues with other people regularly interacting with teenagers completes the process.
References
- "Journal of Adolescent Health"; Prevalence of Insufficient, Borderline, and Optimal Hours of Sleep Among High School Students - United States, 2007; D. K. Eaton et al.; April 2010
- "Sleep Medicine"; Smoking and Sleep Disorders in Chinese Adolescents. K. K. Mak et al.; March 2010
- "Psychiatry Research"; Association between Short and Long Nocturnal Sleep Durations and Risky Behaviours and the Moderating Factors in Taiwanese Adolescents; C. F. Yen et al.; May 14, 2010
- "Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine"; Efficacy of Melatonin; J. Wirojanan et al.; April 15, 2009
- "Journal of Pineal Research"; Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial of Controlled Release Melatonin Treatment of Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome and Impaired Sleep Maintenance in Children with Neurodevelopmental Disabilities; M. B. Wasdell et al.; January 2008
