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Prospective associations between chronic youth sleep problems and young adult health

Brooke L Reidy1, Elizabeth B Raposa2, Patricia A Brennan1

  • 1Department of Psychology, Emory University, 36 Eagle Row, Atlanta, GA 30322.

Sleep Health
|October 27, 2017
PubMed

Insights

Chronic sleep problems starting in childhood can persist into young adulthood, negatively impacting health. These persistent sleep issues predict poor health outcomes, even when considering other risk factors, highlighting sleep as a key intervention target.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental Psychology
  • Sleep Medicine
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Longitudinal studies are crucial for understanding developmental trajectories of health.
  • Youth sleep problems are common but their long-term health implications require further investigation.
  • Established risk factors for poor health include early adversity, chronic illness, and mental health conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine prospective associations between youth sleep problems from childhood to adolescence and young adult health.
  • To investigate the relationship between chronic youth sleep problems and health outcomes in young adulthood.
  • To explore the sleep-health relationship in the context of other known risk factors.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized data from the Mater-University Study of Pregnancy, a longitudinal study of over 7000 children.
  • Assessed 710 mother-child dyads from birth to age 20 using maternal report measures for sleep problems.
  • Employed structural equation modeling to analyze the relationship between chronic sleep problems and young adult health quality, controlling for covariates.

Main Results:

  • Sleep problems in early childhood predicted adolescent and young adult (age 20) sleep problems.
  • Chronic youth sleep problems significantly predicted poor young adult health quality (β = .263, P < .001).
  • This association remained significant after accounting for early adversity, chronic childhood illness, maternal depression, youth depression, and chronic youth stress.

Conclusions:

  • Chronic sleep problems originating in childhood can persist and negatively impact young adult health.
  • Sleep problems are a significant predictor of poor health, independent of other major risk factors.
  • Targeting sleep issues in youth may represent a vital strategy for improving long-term health outcomes.
Abstract

Keywords:
AdolescentChildChronicHealthLongitudinalSleep

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