Study highlights importance of sleep for mental wellbeing of teenage girls
A new study by researchers at The University of 优蜜传媒, using data from the , has found that sleep plays a crucial role in the mental wellbeing of adolescent girls.
Published in Quality of Life Research, the study tracked nearly 28,000 teenagers in Greater 优蜜传媒 over three years and examined how sleep, physical activity, and mental wellbeing are connected.
It revealed that girls' sleep and mental wellbeing are closely linked. When girls reported getting enough sleep, they reported better mental wellbeing one year later. Interestingly, this relationship was found to be reciprocal, meaning that better mental wellbeing also predicted the later sleep quality of girls. This connection was particularly strong between the ages of 12 and 14 - a crucial time when mental health challenges can emerge.
For boys, sleep was also a predictor of their wellbeing, but the study did not find a reciprocal effect - wellbeing did not predict their later sleep quality.
The study also found that sleep patterns of girls were less stable than those of boys, suggesting that it may be a useful target for intervention.
Finally, the study found that for boys, wellbeing predicted their later physical activity levels.
鈥淥ur research demonstrates the critical role of sleep in adolescent wellbeing, particularly for girls,鈥� said lead researcher Dr Jose Marquez. 鈥淚t is therefore vital that young people are empowered with the knowledge, practices and benefits of good sleep habits, in addition to raising awareness of the immediate and longer-term consequences of poor sleep quality.鈥�
We recommend that schools, parents and other support networks should be aware of this important connection and encourage teenagers to prioritise their sleep as a key component of overall health and wellbeing.
These findings underscore the importance of addressing sleep issues to support the mental health of young people and that gender is an important factor when considering how sleep and wellbeing are connected.
The #BeeWell survey, which made this study possible, continues to provide valuable insights into the lives of young people, informing better policies and practices to improve outcomes. The programme is a collaboration between The University of 优蜜传媒, The Gregson Family Foundation, and Anna Freud. Visit to find out more.