Adolescent Weekend Catch-Up Sleep and Sleep Sufficiency: Protective Factors for Depression in Young Adulthood
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Background
Sleep debt and irregular sleep patterns are highly prevalent amongst adolescents. However, whether the absence of these sleep behaviours protects against subsequent depression remains unclear. Here, we examined the association of sleep debt, weekend catch-up sleep (WCS), and social jetlag (SJL) in adolescence with depression in young adulthood and identified underlying biopsychosocial mechanisms.
Methods
Secondary data analyses were conducted using the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. Bedtimes and wake-up times on school days and weekends (i.e., sleep duration) and sleep need were self-reported at 15 years. This was used to generate sleep debt (sleep need minus school day sleep duration), WCS (weekend sleep duration minus school day sleep duration), and SJL (absolute difference in the midpoint of sleep times between school days and weekends). Depression was assessed at 24 years with the Clinical Interview Schedule-Revised. Common mental health symptoms, biological, and school-related factors at 17 years were the mediators.
Results
Logistic regression analyses revealed that greater WCS (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]=0.90; 95% CI=0.84-0.97; p =0.004) and lower sleep debt (AOR=1.10; 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.03-1.18; p =0.005) at age 15 reduced the likelihood of depression at 24 years. Irritability at 17 years partially mediated the relationship between sleep debt and depression (bias-corrected estimate=0.003; 95% CI=0.002-0.004; p <0.001).
Conclusions
Adolescents who experience less sleep debt (i.e., less discrepancies between their actual sleep and their perceived sleep need) and those who extend their sleep duration on weekends are at reduced risk for depression in young adulthood. These findings underscore the need for more opportunities to increase adolescents’ hours of sleep to protect them against later poor mental health outcomes, such as depression.
Key points and relevance
What’s known?
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Sleep debt and irregular sleep patterns are common in adolescence and have been linked with increased risk of depression; however, it remains unclear whether the absence of these sleep behaviours is protective and through which mechanisms this may occur.
What’s new?
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Using a large, population-based cohort, we found greater weekend catch-up sleep and lower perceived sleep debt at 15 years to associate with reduced depression risk at 24 years, and irritability partially explained the latter relationship.
What’s relevant?
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Regarding clinical practice, reducing adolescents’ perceived sleep debt and promoting longer weekend sleep duration may help lower subsequent depression risk. Additionally, delaying school start times may be an important education and public health policy target to support sufficient adolescent sleep.
