Kids who have early bedtimes and get the recommended hours of sleep are less prone to try marijuana or alcohol by age 15 The reasons for the link aren't clear, but reinforce the importance of sleep in a child's development, researchers say Good sleep at age 15 was also strongly linked to avoidance of alcohol and weed THURSDAY, Aug. 15, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- Regular bedtimes won't just help your child be alert for a busy school day; they might also help keep them from abusing drugs or alcohol as a teen, new research suggests. Youth who'd had early bedtimes in childhood and adolescence were significantly less likely to be drinking or using marijuana by the time they were 15, compared to kids who'd stayed up late and had fewer hours sleep, researchers report.
“If we improve sleep in the school-age population, not only could that show improvements in sleep health but in other aspects like the decision to engage in risky behaviors like alcohol and other substance use," theorized study senior author Anne-Marie Chang . She's an associate professor of biobehavioral health at Pennsylvania State University in University Park, Pa. Over 1,500 children were included in the new study and they resided in 20 cities across the United States.
As part of the study, parents recorded what time the kids were sent to bed at ages 3, 5 and 9, as well as how long they typically slept each night as ages 5 and 9. Drug and alcohol use in the children's later teenage years was also tracked. Chang's g.