Sleep deprivation in adolescents: correlations with health complaints and health-related quality of life

Abstract

Objectives: The present study aimed to evaluate the influences of sleep duration, sleep deprivation, and weekend variability of sleep upon other adolescents' features, namely those related to health and health-related quality of life.

Methods: The Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children (HBSC) survey is based on a self-completed questionnaire. The participants in the present study were 3476 students (53.8% were girls) in the 8th and 10th grades at school; the mean age was 14.9 years (range 12.5-19.0). Subjective sleep duration during the weeknights and weekends was collected; sleep deprivation (SD) was considered whenever the difference was greater than 3 h. Health complaint frequency and health-related quality of life (with the Kidscreen 10) were collected.

Results: Sleep deprivation was present in 18.9% of the students. It was negatively correlated with sleep duration on weeknights. There were no gender differences, but SD increased with age and grade. Higher school grades were mainly associated with fatigue. A considerable number of adolescents had sleep problems (37.2%); 25.5% had difficulties in sleep initiation, which was more prevalent in adolescents with SD. The sleep duration on weeknights was decreased in the SD group. The average health-related quality of life was reduced in adolescents with SD. The frequency of health complaint was higher is adolescents with SD. Girls had significantly more health complaints than boys, with special focus on headaches.

Conclusions: Sleep deprivation is associated with the perception of health-related quality of life and perceived physical and mental health.

Keywords: Adolescents; Fatigue; Headaches; Health-related quality of life; Pain; Sleep deprivation.