How Sleep Deprivation Affects Teen Stress and Anxiety

Introduction

Do you sleep well? If you are a teenager, your answer will be no-day. The recommended daily amount of sleep is 8 to 10 hours. However, teens actually sleep less than 6 hours. Would this be a problem if most teens don't get enough sleep?

The answer is that it's a problem.

Problem 1: Increased Stress

Lack of sleep is one of the biggest reasons for raising stress levels in adolescents. Sleeping properly doubles the pressure on academic achievement and makes them easily sensitive to trivial matters.

• 53% of teenagers said they felt lethargic or lazy when they did not get enough sleep.
• 42% said they were annoyed.
• 32% said they were less focused.
• 23% said they were not motivated to fulfill their responsibilities.

Adolescents who had less stress during the last school year reported more hours of sleep at night than those who had more stress (7.8 hours vs. 6.9 hours).

• 90% of teenagers who reported low stress levels during the last school year said they got enough sleep.
• Less than 48% of those with higher stress levels reported getting enough sleep.
• Adolescents with low stress were more likely to report very good sleep quality (59% vs. 22%).

Teenagers with high stress levels were more likely to report trouble sleeping well.

• 43% said they could not get enough sleep because of a complicated head.
• Only 9% of low-stress teenagers reported the same.

In short, adolescents who slept less than 8 hours on a school night were found to be more stressed than those who slept at least 8 hours.

Problem 2: Deepening Anxiety

Teenagers also experience greater anxiety if they don't get enough sleep.

It is common for students to suffer from greater anxiety in the examination room. Palmer and Dr. Joanne Bower from the University of East Anglia analyzed 154 studies spanning 50 years. They found that all three types of sleep deprivation increased anxiety symptoms among participants, including:

• Decreased positive emotions (joy, happiness, satisfaction)
• Faster heart rates
• Higher anxiety

“This has happened even after a short period of sleep, such as staying up an hour or two later than usual or not sleeping for just a few hours,” Palmer said.
“Also, sleep deprivation has been shown to exacerbate anxiety symptoms and slow the arousal of emotional stimuli.”

Results for depressive symptoms were small and inconsistent, as were outcomes for negative emotions such as sadness, worry, and stress.

Conclusion

Lack of sleep can adversely affect both stress and anxiety.
Therefore, it is important for teens to develop healthy sleep habits.

References

• Columbia University Department of Psychiatry. How Sleep Deprivation Impacts Mental Health. Columbia Psychiatry.
• British Psychological Society. Lack of Sleep Causes Anxiety – Don’t Worry About It. BPS Research Digest.
• Banner Health. How Sleep Can Affect Stress. Banner Health Blog.
• American Psychological Association. Stress in America: Are Teens Adopting Adults’ Stress Habits? APA News Release, 2013.
• Johns Hopkins Medicine. The Effects of Sleep Deprivation. Johns Hopkins Medicine Health Library.