14 DAY TRIAL // A recent paper links poor sleep and sleep deprivation to a higher risk of binge drinking and consuming illegal substances. Even more worrying, the report warns that this link is especially true in the case of teens and young adults.
Otherwise put, it appears that youth who don't get enough rest, be it because they keep tossing and turning in their beds when asleep or because they can't fall asleep to begin with, are more likely to abuse alcohol and drugs that endanger their health.
Youth in the US have serious trouble sleeping
Writing in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research, specialist Maria M. Wong with the Idaho State University and colleagues explain that, according to recent national polls, teens and young adults in the US have serious trouble getting enough rest.
Specifically, the researchers say that some 27% of school-aged children and 45% of adolescents do not sleep as much as they should. Besides, it appears that one in ten adolescents find it difficult to fall and stay asleep not just every once in a while, but on a daily basis.
The Idaho State University scientists warn that, in time, these hectic sleeping patterns stand to affect their brain functions, and that this can easily translate into affective, cognitive and behavioral issues, among which alcohol and drug abuse.
“Prolonged periods of wakefulness appears to adversely affect the prefrontal cortex or PFC. PFC regulates affect, attention, and complex cognitive activities,” researcher Maria M. Wong explained in a statement, as cited by Science Daily.
How poor sleep fosters alcohol and drug abuse
In the report documenting their work, specialist Maria M. Wong and colleagues detail how, having taken the time to study the sleeping patterns and the behavior of as many as 6,504 adolescents (52% girls, 48% boys), they found that poor sleep affects youth just like it does adults.
Thus, the researchers say that children and adolescents who don't sleep as much as they should or who experience sleep difficulties are at a higher risk of binge drinking, consuming drugs or displaying behavioral issues such as DUI and promiscuity.
“Among normal adults, sleep difficulties and insomnia have predicted onset of alcohol use one year later, and increased risk of any illicit drug use disorder and nicotine dependence 3.5 years later. The association between poor sleep and substance use has also been found in younger age groups,” said Maria M. Wong.
In light of these findings, the researchers recommend that further investigations into how poor sleep affects the brain and, consequently, risk-taking behavior be carried out. The end goal would be to find a way to tackle the problems that can emerge from sleep difficulties and insomnia.