Saturday, June 01, 2024

 

Study links household chaos with sleep quality among teens with ADHD symptoms



New study explored the important role of household structure and stability for healthy sleep in teens


AMERICAN ACADEMY OF SLEEP MEDICINE

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DARIEN, IL – A new study to be presented at the SLEEP 2024 annual meeting found that household chaos and sleep hygiene are important factors in the relationship between sleep quality and ADHD symptoms in teens.

Results of structural equation modeling show that household chaos and sleep hygiene were significant mediators of the relationship between ADHD symptoms and poor sleep quality. The results suggest that improving the daily routine and stability of the household is an important strategy to consider when seeking to improve sleep quality in adolescents with symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

“These results begin to explicate some contextual factors that may help explain the increase in sleep difficulties observed in youth with higher symptoms of ADHD,” said lead author and co-principal investigator Jamie Flannery, who is a doctoral candidate in developmental psychology at the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana. “It suggests that when ADHD symptoms are high, aspects of the individual — poor sleep hygiene — and the familial environment — household chaos — are associated with poor sleep quality in adolescents.”

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends that teenagers 13 to 18 years of age should sleep 8 to 10 hours. Healthy sleep is associated with better health outcomes including: improved attention, behavior, learning, memory, emotional regulation, quality of life, and mental and physical health.

The researchers collected data from 259 pairs of mothers and adolescents from across the U.S. Mothers used a scale to rate the severity of their adolescent’s ADHD symptoms, while adolescents completed three separate surveys about sleep quality, home environment and sleep hygiene.

Flannery noted that it’s important for adolescents and their families to know that it is more than just individual characteristics that can impact their sleep.

“While improving sleep hygiene in youths with ADHD may be beneficial, a household characterized by a lack of structure, routine and stability may undermine the adolescent’s sleep quality,” Flannery said.

The research abstract was published recently in an online supplement of the journal Sleep and will be presented Monday, June 3, during SLEEP 2024 in Houston. SLEEP is the annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies, a joint venture of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society.

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Abstract TitleExamining the Relation Between ADHD Symptoms and Poor Sleep Quality: The Role of Household Chaos and Sleep Hygiene

Abstract ID: 0989

Poster Presentation Date: Monday, June 3, from 11-11:45 a.m. CDT, Board 212

Presenter: Jamie Flannery, M.A.

About the Associated Professional Sleep Societies, LLC

The APSS is a joint venture of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society. The APSS organizes the SLEEP annual meeting each June (sleepmeeting.org).

About the American Academy of Sleep Medicine

Established in 1975, the AASM advances sleep care and enhances sleep health to improve lives. The AASM has a combined membership of 12,000 accredited sleep centers and individuals, including physicians, scientists and other health care professionals who care for patients with sleep disorders. As the leader in the sleep field, the AASM sets standards and promotes excellence in sleep medicine health care, education and research (aasm.org).

About the Sleep Research Society 

The SRS is a professional membership society that advances sleep and circadian science. The SRS provides forums for the exchange of information, establishes and maintains standards of reporting and classifies data in the field of sleep research, and collaborates with other organizations to foster scientific investigation on sleep and its disorders. The SRS also publishes the peer-reviewed, scientific journals Sleep and Sleep Advances (sleepresearchsociety.org).

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