Brain Sciences, Vol. 13, Pages 569: Sleep Deprivation and Insomnia in Adolescence: Implications for Mental Health

Brain Sciences, Vol. 13, Pages 569: Sleep Deprivation and Insomnia in Adolescence: Implications for Mental Health

Brain Sciences doi: 10.3390/brainsci13040569

Authors: Sara Uccella Ramona Cordani Federico Salfi Maurizio Gorgoni Serena Scarpelli Angelo Gemignani Pierre Alexis Geoffroy Luigi De Gennaro Laura Palagini Michele Ferrara Lino Nobili

Sleep changes significantly throughout the human lifespan. Physiological modifications in sleep regulation, in common with many mammals (especially in the circadian rhythms), predispose adolescents to sleep loss until early adulthood. Adolescents are one-sixth of all human beings and are at high risk for mental diseases (particularly mood disorders) and self-injury. This has been attributed to the incredible number of changes occurring in a limited time window that encompasses rapid biological and psychosocial modifications, which predispose teens to at-risk behaviors. Adolescents’ sleep patterns have been investigated as a biunivocal cause for potential damaging conditions, in which insufficient sleep may be both a cause and a consequence of mental health problems. The recent COVID-19 pandemic in particular has made a detrimental contribution to many adolescents’ mental health and sleep quality. In this review, we aim to summarize the knowledge in the field and to explore implications for adolescents’ (and future adults’) mental and physical health, as well as to outline potential strategies of prevention.