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Treatment for addiction takes many forms and depends on the needs of the
individual. In accordance with the American Society of Addiction Medicine, we offer
information on outcome-oriented treatment that adheres to an established continuum of
care. In this section, you will find information and resources related to evidence-based
treatment models, counseling and therapy and payment and insurance options.
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Getting your child to go to bed at a reasonable hour can be a challenging task, but a new study indicates a good night’s sleep may be a protective factor for alcohol and drug abuse.
Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh followed 186 boys for more than 10 years. At age 11, the boys’ mothers completed the Child Sleep Questionnaire. At ages 20 and 22, researchers interviewed the young men about their experiences with alcohol and cannabis.
They found that teens who slept less were more likely to try alcohol, become intoxicated and repeatedly use it. The same behaviors were true for marijuana. Low-quality sleep was associated with the same behaviors, except for first marijuana use. The findings were reported in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence.
Dr. Berney Wilkinson, a pediatric psychologist with Psychological Associates of Central Florida, told DrugRehab.com that the results of the study weren’t surprising.
“We know that one of the leading causes of biological stress is sleep deprivation,” Wilkinson said. “As the body remains chronically stressed, the individual is more on edge, irritable and anxious. These symptoms absolutely contribute to the possibility of substance use, especially of those substances that would help them relax and relieve anxiety.”
The Pittsburgh researchers accounted for differences in race, neighborhood, socio-economic influences and other factors.
“After considering other possible influences, we were able to determine that sleep problems are preceding the substance use problems,” lead author Dr. Brant Hasler said in a press release.
That means the preteens’ sleep deficiencies weren’t caused by the sedating effects of alcohol and marijuana.
Hasler believes drug abuse prevention and addiction treatment programs could benefit from addressing sleep issues. He recognizes the challenges of treating an existing addiction, and he strives to advance research on risk factors that may guide future prevention efforts.
“Doing what we can to ensure sufficient sleep duration and improve sleep quality during late childhood may have benefits in terms of reducing the use of these substances later in life,” Hasler said.
The Health Effects of Teen Sleep Deprivation
The study’s findings aren’t good news for a population that is notorious for getting less sleep than they need. The Sleep Center at UCLA recommends nine hours of sleep for an average teen to feel well rested, but few teens are getting that much sleep.
A 2006 poll by the National Sleep Foundation found that 45 percent of teens get fewer than eight hours of sleep on school nights, and 80 percent of teens get fewer than nine hours on school nights. On nonschool nights, 83 percent get eight hours or more, and 57 percent sleep for at least nine hours.
A 2014 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention analysis of four surveys conducted between 2007 and 2013 concluded less than 8 percent of female high schoolers and less than 10 percent of male high schoolers obtained an average of nine hours of sleep.
“I think high school is the real danger spot in terms of sleep deprivation,” Dr. William Dement, founder of the Stanford Sleep Disorders Clinic, told the Stanford Medicine News Center in 2015. “It’s a huge problem. What it means is that nobody performs at the level they could perform.”
A good night’s sleep can have many positive health effects, but a lack of quality sleep can be extremely detrimental.
“Sleep quality and duration are critical to healthy development,” Wilkinson said. “In addition to the stress issue, we know that sleep is critical to learning, memory and emotional regulation.”
Drs. Berney Wilkinson and Richard Marshall discuss the health effects of sleep on The Mental Breakdown podcast.
The Stanford Sleep Medicine Center lists a variety of harmful side effects that sleep deprivation can have on teens:
Anxiety
Depression
Trouble concentrating
Decreased academic performance
Suicidal thoughts
Several mental health problems such as anxiety and depression are also risk factors for substance abuse and addiction. However, strong research on co-occurring sleep and substance use disorders is relatively uncommon.
A 2009 survey of 30 patients receiving substance abuse treatment found 46 percent consumed alcohol or other illicit drugs to treat sleep problems. The results published in Psychiatry (Edgemont) revealed that 96 percent of the patients reported sleep impairment, 56 percent reported insomnia and 33 percent reported symptoms of restless leg syndrome.
The study did not specify whether the sleep problems began before or after substance abuse, but it concluded that patients with substance use disorders have a high prevalence of sleep problems.
Sleep experts urge parents to set a realistic, strict bedtime for children. A 2010 study by researchers from Columbia University found teens with a bedtime of midnight or later were 24 percent more likely to suffer depression and 20 percent more likely to experience suicidal ideation compared to teens with a bedtime of 10 p.m. or earlier.
Now, it appears an early bedtime could also protect them from the lure of alcohol or marijuana use.
Medical Disclaimer: DrugRehab.com aims to improve the quality of life for people struggling with a substance use or mental health disorder with fact-based content about the nature of behavioral health conditions, treatment options and their related outcomes. We publish material that is researched, cited, edited and reviewed by licensed medical professionals. The information we provide is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. It should not be used in place of the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider.
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Basch, C.E. et al. (2014, December 11). Prevalence of Sleep Duration on an Average School Night Among 4 Nationally Representative Successive Samples of American High School Students, 2007–2013. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2014/14_0383.htm
Gangwisch, J.E. et al. (2010, January). Earlier parents set bedtimes as a protective factor against depression and suicidal ideation. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20120626
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