Relevance of Sleep and Circadian Rhythms to Adolescent Substance Use

AbstractPurpose of ReviewAdolescents are particularly vulnerable to sleep and circadian disturbances, which is a risk factor for substance use initiation and involvement. In this review, we briefly describe normal changes in adolescent sleep and circadian rhythms and then describe evidence that identifies sleep and circadian disturbances as a predictor of substance use in adolescence. We also describe possible mechanisms for the relationship between sleep/circadian disturbances and substance use, as well as modifying factors, through recent longitudinal studies.Recent FindingsAccumulating longitudinal studies support an array of sleep/circadian disturbances as risk factors for substance use. Evidence suggests that the mismatch between developmental and environmental demands contributes to sleep and circadian disturbances, which impacts reward functioning and emotion regulation leading to increased risk-taking and impulsivity. At the same time, adolescents are more likely to try to cope with daytime sleepiness using caffeine and stimulants and could turn to alcohol as a sleeping aid when having difficulty falling asleep, which further disturbs sleep and impacts circadian timing.SummaryCurrent literature suggests that sleep and circadian disturbances during adolescence contribute to increased risk for substance use and substance use disorders (SUDs). Accumulating evidence implicates poorer emotion regulation and disruption of the reward system in the brain, due to sleep/circadi...
Source: Current Addiction Reports - Category: Addiction Source Type: research