Sufficient sleep reduces risk of depression

According to a research published in the journal ‘Sleep’, teens with bedtimes of midnight or later were 24 percent more likely to suffer from depression and 20 percent more susceptible to suicide ideation compared to adolescents with bedtimes of 10 p.m. or earlier.

In order to conduct the study, the researchers from the Colombia University New York examined the data from 15,659 adolescents in grades seven to 12, collected between 1994 and 1996.

Seven percent of teens were found to suffer from depression and 13 percent were prone to thoughts of suicide. The problem was more likely in girls and those who thought their parents did not care much about them.

The researchers also found out that teens that slept less than five hours at night were 71 percent more likely to suffer from depression and 48 percent more prone to thoughts of suicide compared to those who slept for eight hours.

Parental mandated bedtime significant in curbing depression
The researchers found that majority of the parents set the bed time of 10 p.m. A quarter of them set the bedtime of midnight or later.

Nearly 70 percent adolescents said they went to bed at the time set by the parents.

Teens with parental-mandated bedtime of 10 p.m. slept for approximately eight hours, 40 minutes more than those who slept at midnight.

Strengthening earlier research done in the area, the study states that parental set bedtimes are protective against depression and thoughts of suicide by lengthening sleep duration.

Short sleep duration precedes depression
It is a common belief that adolescents do not need as much sleep as preadolescents, but the study points out that even teens need enough sleep.

Lack of sleep intensifies a person’s emotional brain state. In fact, it activates the amygdala, a part of the brain linked to depression and other related problems, thus hindering his ability to cope with stress, relationships etc.

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine suggests that adolescents should sleep for at least nine hours.

Adequate sleep is an important part of the natural healing process that invigorates a person both mentally and physically.

The study suggests that it is important to educate adolescents and their parents about importance of adequate sleep as a preventive measure against depression and suicide ideation.