From the ArcaMax Publishing, Health & Fitness Newsletter:
http://www.arcamax.com/news/healthtips/s-361077-877770
BALTIMORE (UPI) -- A lack of sleep among adolescents may contribute to
lower grades, a lack of motivation and an increased risk of emotional
disturbances, U.S. researchers say.
A study of 882 high school freshmen found students reported sleeping,
on average, 7.6 hours per school night, with 48 percent reporting less
than eight hours. Hours of sleep per school night were significantly
positively associated with grade point average and level of motivation
and significantly negatively associated with clinically significant
levels of emotional disturbance and attention-deficit hyperactivity
disorder.
Each additional hour of sleep on school nights lowered the odds of
scoring in the clinically significant range of emotional disturbance
and ADHD by 25 percent and 34 percent, respectively.
"Since these findings are based on associations rather than direct
experimental manipulation, they cannot conclusively prove that
insufficient sleep causes a loss of motivation, poor grades, ADHD, and
emotional disturbance during adolescence," Fred Danner of the
University of Kentucky said in a statement. "Lack of sleep should no
longer be considered a traditional adolescent rite of passage because
it can have serious consequences."
It is recommended that adolescents get nine hours of nightly sleep.
The findings were presented at the 22nd annual meeting of the
Associated Professional Sleep Societies in Baltimore.