How to Predict If a Teen Will be an Alcoholic

“This episode of DNews is brought to you by the Toyota Prius. Let’s lead the way.” Teenagers don’t get enough sleep, because they’re up late making bad decisions, right? But what if it’s the other way around? But could their lack of sleep lead to partying? Hey everyone, julia here for DNews Teenagers don’t get enough sleep, some studies say almost half of American teenagers don’t get enough sleep. But maybe that’s because they’re forced into a schedule counter to their biological clocks. Their internal clocks tick a little later than full grown adults. They sleep longer and stay awake later. Yet thanks to early start times for high schools, they often get less than 7 of their recommended 9-9 ½ hours of sleep. A recent study published in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, suggests that sleep problems in teenagers mean more than just an attitude and poor grades. Trouble sleeping or not getting enough sleep strongly predicted not just alcohol use, but associated problematic behaviors, like binge-drinking, driving under the influence and risky *** behavior. Previous studies show a relation between sleep problems and substance abuse in high risk populations, but this study controlled for that. These were kids who, for whatever reason weren’t sleeping enough. The researchers looked at data collected from interviews and questionnaires from The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health. The data was collected in three waves, 1st wave 1994 to 1995; second wave: 1996; third wave: 2001 to 2002. Controlling for previous substance abuse, those sleepy high schoolers in the mid-90s, were more likely to have drinking problems 6 or 7 years later. The researchers found that having trouble sleeping or not getting enough sleep in the 1st wave strongly predicted alcohol problems in the 2nd wave, the prediction for alcohol issues in the third wave was less strong but still significant. While some of sleepiness can be attributed to an unfriendly schedule, the rates of insomnia and sleep issues reported in this study were about the same for adults. One in ten reported chronic insomnia while three in ten report occasional insomnia. This points to a biological basis for sleeping problems. This isn’t the first study to show a correlation between being tired and making bad decisions. Studies often show not getting enough sleeps inhibits self-regulation, something teens already struggle with. Why do teens struggle more than the rest of us? Well mainly because their pre-frontal cortex isn’t fully developed yet. This part of the brain sits just behind the forehead and it’s important for what’s called “executive functioning”. Things like planning, memory, organization and mood. More importantly in the case of the sleepy teens, this part of the brain helps you weigh the cost and benefits of your choices. Studies show that a lack of sleep reduces activity in this part of the brain, this disruption increases risk taking behavior. It’s easy to see how poor sleep and the teenage brain combine and can lead to bad decisions. Being a teenager and being sleep deprived is a double whammy for the prefrontal cortex. So if you’re a teen, get more sleep. Seriously. If you’re a parent of a teen, help them get the sleep they need. You might try to talk to them about how important sleep is for the developing brain. Keep them on a regular sleep schedule and cut out electronics like phones and laptops before bed. It could help curb some of the more dangerous of adolescent behaviors. To learn more about why teenagers need more sleep or to find out why you need to sleep at all, check these videos below. So, throwing it back to you commenters, is partying late really that excellent? Do you party because you’re sleep deprived? Comment below! oh and don’t forget to hit that subscribe button! Let us know! We can be found on the twitter @Dnews