Owens, J., Au, R., Carskadon, M., Millman, R., Wolfson, A., Braverman, P. K., ... & O’Brien, R. F. (2014). Insufficient sleep in adolescents and young adults: An update on causes and consequences. Pediatrics, 134(3), e921-e932.

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Abstract

Chronic sleep loss and associated sleepiness and daytime impairments in adolescence are a serious threat to the academic success, health, and safety of our nation's youth and an important public health issue. Understanding the extent and potential short- and long-term repercussions of sleep restriction, as well as the unhealthy sleep practices and environmental factors that contribute to sleep loss in adolescents, is key in setting public policies to mitigate these effects and in counseling patients and families in the clinical setting. This report reviews the current literature on sleep patterns in adolescents, factors contributing to chronic sleep loss (ie, electronic media use, caffeine consumption), and health-related consequences, such as depression, increased obesity risk, and higher rates of drowsy driving accidents. The report also discusses the potential role of later school start times as a means of reducing adolescent sleepiness.

MeSH Terms
    Accidents, Traffic/prevention & control
    Accidents, Traffic/psychology
    Adolescent
    Caffeine/adverse effects
    Communications Media/trends
    Depression/diagnosis
    Depression/epidemiology
    Depression/psychology
    Humans
    Obesity/diagnosis
    Obesity/epidemiology
    Obesity/psychology
    Sleep/physiology*
    Sleep Deprivation/diagnosis*
    Sleep Deprivation/epidemiology*
    Sleep Deprivation/psychology
    Sleep Wake Disorders/diagnosis
    Sleep Wake Disorders/epidemiology
    Sleep Wake Disorders/psychology
    Young Adult

Substances
    Caffeine