Sleep And Teen Suicide Are Linked

June 13, 2009

According to a recent study at the Columbia University Medical Center, you may be able to reduce your teen’s risk of depression and suicidal thoughts by making an earlier nightly bedtime so that your teen is in bed early to allow at least 9 hours of sleep.

In a study of 15,659 adolescents, 7.3% were found to be depressed. 13% said they had suicidal thoughts. But those kids whose parents made them go to bed 10 p.m. or earlier were 25% less likely to be depressed than the kids whose parents who did not make them go to bed until midnight or later. And they were 20% less likely to have suicidal thoughts.

It is true that today’s teens are really busy and making sure they get at least 9 hours of sleep each night isn’t easy. But this study shows how important it is to be sure that teens do get the sleep they need because sleep and teen suicide are linked. Visit the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM’s) website for some practical tips to help your teen get enough sleep. It’s one of the best ways to keep you child happy.