Sleep Deprivation As A Teen Can Lead To Binge Drinking As An Adult

Parents might now have one more thing to worry about if their kids aren’t getting enough sleep – that they will become binge drinking adults.

A study published in Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research, found that kids between the ages of 14 and 16 who have problems falling asleep are 50 percent more likely to binge drink as adults. They are also 14 percent more likely to drive drunk.

“This study showed that insomnia and importantly, decreased sleep without insomnia, can lead to an increased likelihood of binge drinking and other alcohol-related problems in adolescents,” says Saul Rothenberg, PhD, psychologist at the North Shore-LIJ Health System. “Past studies have associated insomnia with increased anxiety, depression and an increased risk of alcoholism and substance abuse.”

One potential way teens can get more sleep is if their school day started a little later.

“Appropriate sleep and sleep habits in teens are important issues for many sleep medicine professionals who are advocating for later start times in high schools to help teens get more sleep,” Dr. Rothenberg says.