Prenatal and early life origins of adolescence sleep problems: evidence from a birth cohort
Journal Publication ResearchOnline@JCUAbstract
Purpose: This study aims to identify the prenatal and early life predictors of adolescence sleep problems. Methods: Sleep data (n=5,081) from the 14-year (13.92±0.34 years) follow-up of a birth cohort were analysed to explore the predictors of adolescence trouble sleeping, nightmares, snoring and sleep talking/walking. Data from antenatal period till adolescence were explored for identifying predictors of adolescence sleep problems. Modified Poisson regression with a robust error variance was used to identify significant predictors. Results: Our results suggest that about a quarter of adolescents in our study sample had sleep maintenance problems (nightmares: 27.88%, snoring: 23.20%, sleepwalking/talking 27.72%). The prevalence rate of sleep initiation problems was even higher (trouble sleeping: 40.61%). Our results suggest that antenatal and early-life factors, e.g., maternal smoking, anxiety, sleep problems in childhood, ADHD symptoms, and poor health are significant predictors of adolescence sleep problems. Conclusions: This study demonstrates the predictive role of prenatal and early life risk factors in adolescence sleep problems. It seems that exposure to prenatal and early life risk factors increase the vulnerability for sleep problems later in life, which is further supported by poor health and lifestyle choices in adolescence. Therefore, close observation and mitigation of factors associated with early life risk factors could be a potential strategy for preventing sleep problems later in life.
Journal
International Journal of Adolescent Medicine and Health
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Volume
33
ISBN/ISSN
2191-0278
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Issue
1
Pages Count
10
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Publisher
Walter de Gruyter
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EISSN
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DOI
10.1515/ijamh-2018-0048