Sleep deprived teens turn to drugs--study

According to researchers, sleep loss and drug habits were interlinked behaviors that were fuelled through teenagers' social networks.

Lead author of the study Sara C. Mednick, PhD, assistant professor of psychiatry at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and the VA San Diego Healthcare System stated, "This is our first investigation of the spread of illegal drug use in social networks.

"We believe it is also the first study in any age population on the spread of sleep behaviors through social networks."

Analysis of data on over 8000 teens
The researchers analyzed data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health to determine how poor sleep patterns influence the spread of adolescent drug use within social groups.

The study involved 8,349 teens in grades seven through 12. The participants were tracked for a period of over eight years.

The investigators mapped their social circles by asking each participant to name five friends who were also in the study.

Observations by researchers
The researchers found that within the same social circuit large groups of adolescents with poor sleep patterns had all tried marijuana.

The results revealed that teens were more likely to be influenced on their sleep and drug habits by their friends or even the friends of their friends.

The odds of a teenager being sleep deprived were 11 percent higher if he had a friend who slept less than seven hours. Moreover, if his friends were doing drugs, the chances of the teenager following suit more than doubled.

Mednick stated, “Our behavior are connected to each other and we need to start thinking about how one behavior affects our lives on many levels.

“Therefore, when parents, schools and law enforcement want to look for ways to influence one outcome, such as drug use, our research suggests that targeting another behavior, like sleep, may have a positive influence.”

Need to promote healthy sleeping habits in teens
Adolescence is a time for experimentation, and teens turn to drugs out of curiosity, because it feels good, to reduce stress, to feel grown up, and even to fit in.

Since it is difficult to predict which teenager will experiment and stop and which will go on to be addicted, it is vital to instill good bedtime habits in them.

Parents need to curtail the use of computer and mobile phone late at night, which can slash the odds of teens picking up the habit of trying narcotics.

Mendick said, "Take the TV out of the child's bedroom, limit computer and phone usage to daytime and early evening hours, and promote napping.”

The research was sponsored by the National Institute of Mental Health, National Institute on Aging and National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.

The research has been published in the journal PLoS ONE.