New Study Finds Link Between Childhood Sleep Disturbances and Suicidal Behavior
A recent study published in the journal JAMA Network Open has found a significant link between childhood sleep disturbances and suicidal behavior. The study, which followed over 8,800 children from ages 9 to 12, found that those who experienced severe sleep disturbances at age 10 were 2.7 times more likely to experience suicidal ideation or attempts two years later.
The study’s findings suggest that sleep disturbances may be an early warning sign for suicidal behavior in children, and that addressing sleep issues could be a critical intervention target for youth suicide prevention. The researchers also found that daily nightmares were associated with a five times higher risk of suicidal behavior.
The study’s lead author, Dr. Rebecca Bernert, a suicidologist and founder of the Stanford Suicide Prevention Research Laboratory, emphasized the importance of considering sleep as a risk factor for suicidal behavior. “Given that sleep is highly visible as a risk factor, non-stigmatizing, and highly treatable… we suggest study of sleep as a risk factor and critical intervention target for youth suicide,” she said.
The researchers used data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study, which recruited children from 21 sites across the United States when they were 9 or 10 years old. The children’s guardians answered questionnaires about their child’s sleep health, including factors such as problems with falling or staying asleep, waking up, excessive sleepiness, sleep-disorder breathing, excessive sweating during sleep, and behaviors that occur when someone partially awakes from deep sleep.
The study’s findings have significant implications for parents, clinicians, and public health officials. “The research has significant parental, clinical, and public health implications,” said Dr. Rebecca Berry, a clinical psychologist and adjunct clinical associate professor at New York University’s Grossman School of Medicine.
Experts emphasize the importance of establishing good nighttime habits that support healthy sleep, such as creating a wind-down routine that starts an hour before bedtime, limiting screen time and physical activity, and practicing mindfulness strategies to support emotion regulation. They also recommend seeking help from a professional if you notice changes in your child’s sleep patterns or behavior.
The study’s findings are a reminder of the importance of prioritizing children’s mental health and well-being, and of the need for early intervention and prevention strategies to address the growing crisis of youth suicide.