Changes in sleep from adolescence to young adulthood: Findings from the Eating and Activity over Time 2010-2018 Study

The transition from adolescence to young adulthood, a period marked with changes to one's biology and social context, may be an important period for establishing long-term sleep behaviors. The present study identified changes in weekday and weekend sleep duration, trouble sleeping, and fatigue from adolescence to young adulthood, and evaluated sex and socioeconomic status differences in these sleep measures.

Study participants (N = 1559) completed surveys in adolescence (2010; M_age = 14.3) and young adulthood (2018; M_age = 22.0). Mixed linear and logistic regression models were used to assess differences in sleep metrics at each time point and over time, and differences based on sex and socioeconomic status.

Around 43% of adolescents were not meeting minimum weekday sleep recommendations and average weekday sleep duration was shorter in adolescence (8.1 hours) compared to young adulthood (8.3 hours). During adolescence, the low socioeconomic status group had the shortest weekday sleep duration compared to other socioeconomic status groups, but by young adulthood, all socioeconomic status groups slept for similar durations. Although longer sleep duration was reported on average in young adulthood, a greater proportion of young adults, compared to adolescents, reported fatigue and trouble sleeping. The low socioeconomic status group and females reported more fatigue and trouble sleeping than their counterparts at both adolescence and in young adulthood.

Findings suggest a need for sleep interventions that prioritize weekday sleep duration in adolescence, particularly among low socioeconomic status groups, and in young adulthood, there is a need to address fatigue and trouble sleeping, particularly among females.