Is Your Teenager a Night Owl? Children's Sleep Patterns Can Shape Their Brain and Behavior Years Later

New research shows that a shift in sleep patterns increases the risk of having behavioral problems and delayed brain development in later adolescence.

It is during the teenage years that a shift in sleep pattern occurs, The Conversation reported.

Many teens shift from being "a morning lark to a night owl." Suddenly, teenagers stay awake longer and fall asleep later, feeling more productive and alert in the evening and waking up later the next day.

This shift towards "eveningness" can clash with teens' school and work. Moreover, persistent lack of sleep because of "mis-matched sleep schedules" explains why night-owl teens are at greater risk for emotional and behavioral problems than the morning larks.

Responsive parenting

New research entitled "Development of Morning-Eveningness in Adolescence: Implications for Brain Development and Psychopathology" gathered over 200 teens and their parents and asked them to complete a series of questionnaires about the teens' sleep preferences and their emotional and behavioral well-being.

Participants were also asked to repeatedly answer the same questionnaires for the next seven years. The teens were also asked to have two brain scans several years apart to examine brain development, focusing on mapping changes in the brain's white matter structure, the connective tissue that allows the brain to process information and function effectively.

The research found that teens who shifted to becoming night owls in their early adolescence, around 12 to 13 years old, were more likely to have behavioral problems several years after. These problems consisted of greater aggression, anti-social behaviors, and rule-breaking.

However, these teens weren't at increased risk of emotional problems like anxiety or low mood.

It was also found that earlier emotional and behavioral problems do not lead a teenager to become a night owl or a morning lark in late adolescence.

Moreover, the research also showed that teens who had a sleep pattern shift to becoming night owls had a different rate of brain development than those who remained morning larks.

The white matter of night owls did not increase to the same degree as the morning larks. Parents need to know that the growth of white matter is crucial in the teenage years as it supports the development of cognitive, emotional, and behavioral areas of well-being.

With this, the researchers concluded that becoming a night owl does not only increase the risk of experiencing behavioral problems but also experience delays in brain development in later adolescence.

Read Also: Restless Leg Syndrome on Kids: Difficulty Sleeping and Other Symptoms that Parents Need to Know

Significant implications

Researchers are reaching out to parents and reminding them of the significance of focusing on their teenagers' sleep-wake habits early in adolescence to ensure their emotional and behavioral health.

Over and over, a lot of research has highlighted and proven how extremely important to have the right amount of sleep, not only for kids and teenagers but even for adults, for both mental and brain health.

To parents with teenagers who are night owls, do not lose hope. The research also found that morning lark and night owl preferences "aren't set in stone" and can be modified.

Thus, parents are reminded of the benefits and dangers of exposure to light.

Exposure to light, whether natural or artificial, alters a person's circadian rhythms, which can influence sleep preferences. Thus, minimizing exposure to bright lights and screens at night can effectively change sleep preferences and the drive for sleep.

On the other hand, exposure to light first thing in the morning can help shift a person's internal clock to be more morning-oriented. Parents could start having the family's breakfast outside to encourage their kids and teenagers or allow them to go onto a balcony or the garden before heading to school or work.

Related Article: Sleep Deprivation in Teens Raises Their Sugar Consumption, Study Reveals