Getting enough sleep is essential for a child's growth and to remain fit and fine. Emphasizing this point researchers have found poor sleep putting teens at a greater risk of developing heart disease in adulthood.
According to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI), it is essential for teens to get at least nine hours sleep per night. However, they manage less than 6.5 hours only.
Dr. Indra Narang and colleagues examined the sleep problems among 4,104 teens and noticed 20 percent of adolescents experiencing sleep disturbances ( early wakening, difficulties in falling asleep, restlessness, bad dreams and frequent waking up at night ) or sleep deprivation and 10 percent having poor quality sleep on weekends and another group (5.9 percent) depending on medication to sleep.
All the participants of the study were part of the Healthy Schools' Program in Ontario that helps to identify coronary vascular disease. Participants slept nearly eight hours on weeknights and 9.4 hours on weekends.
The children also shared details about their sleep patterns in a questionnaire. Other factors like BMI, cholesterol levels, blood pressure and family history of cardiovascular disease were also taken into consideration.
Results showed an association between consuming more fried foods, soft drinks, sweets, caffeinated drinks, lack of exercise and high TV exposure to higher sleep disturbances. Teens with higher sleep disturbances were found to have higher cholesterol level, body mass index (BMI), larger waist size, higher blood pressure and hypertension.
However, shorter sleep duration was not found leading to high cholesterol levels or blood pressure, but only higher BMI and waist size.
"These findings are important, given that sleep disturbance is highly prevalent in adolescence and that cardiovascular disease risk factors track from childhood into adulthood," lead author Narang, respirologist and director of sleep medicine at The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario and coauthors, said in a news release.
"In addition to these health risks, previous studies have shown that poor sleep also negatively impacts school performance. Parents should monitor caffeine intake, bedtimes and bedrooms overloaded with media," Dr. Brian McCrindle, senior author and cardiologist added.
Findings of the study have been published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ).
