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Children's sleep patterns may influence alcohol and marijuana use in adolescence
Last reviewed: 02.07.2025
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A good night’s sleep is vital for children’s health and development, but childhood sleep patterns may also be linked to future substance use. A recent study by a team of researchers at the University of Pennsylvania found that teens were more likely to drink alcohol or try marijuana by age 15 if they went to bed later and slept fewer hours during childhood and adolescence. The team published their findings in the journal Annals of Epidemiology.
"The study suggests that there are critical age periods when sleep can be a target for intervention. Improving sleep in school-aged children could lead to improvements not only in sleep but also in other aspects of sleep, such as decisions to engage in risky behaviors like alcohol and substance use," said Anne-Marie Chang, an associate professor of behavioral health at the University of Pennsylvania and senior author of the paper.
The research team looked at children’s sleep patterns at different stages of their development within the same sample to see if there was an impact on later substance use, something that has rarely been studied before. They focused on two aspects of sleep health: total sleep duration and bedtime, or bedtime. The researchers explained that if children, especially school-aged children, go to bed later, it can negatively impact their sleep quality.
“Sleep is multifaceted. It’s important for children because it supports their growth and development. The brain is more plastic in the early years, and it’s important for healthy sleep to support neural development,” said David Reichenberger, a co-author of the study who earned his doctorate in behavioral health at the University of Pennsylvania during the study. “Poor sleep quality can have consequences for their physical health as well as their decision-making, which in turn may be linked to decisions to use substances.”
The study was based on data from 1,514 children in the Future of Families and Child Well-Being Study, a longitudinal cohort study of children in 20 U.S. cities. Parents reported their children's regular bedtimes at ages three, five, and nine, as well as the amount of sleep they got at ages five and nine.
When the team assessed the association between childhood bedtime and sleep duration with subsequent alcohol and marijuana use in adolescence, they found a longitudinal association. Teens were 45% more likely to have tried alcohol by age 15 if they went to bed later at age nine, compared with other kids who went to bed earlier at that age. However, bedtime at age five was not associated with future alcohol use, nor was sleep duration at age five or nine. For marijuana use, a later bedtime at age five was associated with a 26% increase in the odds of trying marijuana by age 15, and an hour shorter in sleep at age nine was associated with a 19% increase in the odds of trying marijuana by age 15.
The research team also looked at data from 15-year-olds who self-reported their bedtimes, sleep duration, and alcohol and marijuana use. They found that teens with later bedtimes were 39% more likely to drink alcohol and 34% more likely to try marijuana. A one-hour reduction in sleep was associated with a 28% increase in the likelihood of trying alcohol, but was not associated with marijuana use.
“Sleep around adolescence is the most important time to predict future substance use risk. This is a developmental stage when children are changing rapidly and their brains are maturing,” Reichenberger said, adding that previous research from other groups suggests that shorter sleep durations and later bedtimes can increase impulsivity and impair decision-making, which could influence choices about substance use.
The findings highlight the important role sleep plays in long-term health and well-being, the researchers noted. For school-aged children, creating an environment conducive to sleep and setting age-appropriate bedtimes are key to establishing healthy sleep patterns.
“Investigating the relationship between sleep and substance use is an important area of research as we continue to combat the epidemic of opioid addiction and substance use,” Chang said. “This is an important area for continued research and dissemination of our findings to the general public, families, and health care providers.”