SLEEP DEPRIVATION
Introduction
Sleeping is one of the essential activities of a human being. People need rest from their busy schedules, and sleep gives a relaxation that human beings need. Therefore lack of sleep in the long run or short run may lead to significant health complexities. Researchers have outlined that lack of sleep may lead to serious health problems, including heart conditions and blood pressure. According to Irwin et al., “Sleep deprivation is associated with inflammatory disease risk and all-cause mortality”[5]. In solution to this problem, researchers have agreed that adults need seven or eight hours to sleep. In the article, “sleep deprivation: Prevalence and Associated Factors among Adolescents in Saudi Arabia,” Maliha Nasim et al. examines sleep disturbances among adolescents. Although the study demonstrated noteworthy results, limitations regarding the study design, number of sleeping hours, and determinants of what results in insomnia made it challenging to rely entirely on the findings.
Summary
In the article, Sleep Deprivation: Prevalence and Associated Factors among Adolescents in Saudi Arabia, Maliha Nasim et al. evaluates the variables associated with sleep deprivation within a nationally representative sample of adolescents in Saudi Arabia. The authors identify sleeping deprivation as a problem affecting the majority of adolescents around the globe. Sleep deprivation has caused young people to have low concentration and decision-making skills. Consequently, these factors have led to poor academic performance and increased anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideations. The methods used involved 12121 adolescents between ages 10 and 19; 51% male and 49% female. A secondary analysis of a cross-sectional school-based survey known as Jeeluna was conducted for the study. Health risk behaviors and the status of participants were assessed. They also filled in a self-reported questionnaire of 103 questions and provide blood samples.
Moreover, relevant variables of interest were also extracted from the Jeeluna study and observed. They include sleep, gender, age, body mass index, socioeconomic status, academic performance, television screen time, internet use, video game playing, daily soda consumption, daily meals, and naps frequency. Results showed that 89% of the participants reported daily soft drink consumption, and 43% reported not having three meals in a day. 76% reported not feeling refreshed in the morning, 46% said SD during weekdays, while 33% during the weekend. 71% reported physical activity levels less than three days per week. Therefore, the authors found a generally high prevalence of sleep deprivation and poor dietary habits among adolescents. In conclusion, the study showed that SD was significantly associated with a person’s lifestyle and other environmental factors. Further studies should be done on SD, and adequate preventive measures should be urgently implemented, such as education on the importance of enough sleep.
Critique
Studies have shown that insomnia has been identified as a growing problem among adolescents, affecting their health and well-being. It is also a risk factor for obesity and overweight. Clarke G et al., in their study, stated that sleeplessness among adolescents contributes to mental health issues.[1] In this article, “Sleep deprivation: prevalence and associated factors among adolescents in Saudi Arabia. Sleep medicine,” Nasim M. et al. conducted a study to evaluate the prevalence of insomnia among adolescents in Saudi Arabia and factors relating to it. Although this study produced significant results showing the main causes of sleep deprivation, there are limitations related to the study. The sh include the study design, how to determine the number of hours one should sleep, and the lack of a general definition of what amounts to insomnia. gThe research also produced contradictory results with previous studies report the issue of spending long hours on the screen, which had been established to cause insomnia.[2]
Nasim M et al. conducted vital research to establish the prevalence of insomnia and its causes among Saudi Arabia adolescents. They used a cross-sectional study design, and from the findings, they confirmed that sleep deprivation was common among adolescents. The authors successfully showed that some adolescents suffered SD during weekdays and others feeling not refreshed in the mornings. They were also able to identify several factors associated with lack of sleep, including going to school early, sleeping during the day, and economic status. The researchers were able to establish that insomnia in adolescents was higher during weekdays compared to weekends. Sanchez SE et al. conducted research that showed that lifestyle factors might influence sleep patterns.[3] However, the design made it impossible to establish a temporal correlation between aspects of interest and Sleep Deprivation. Additionally, the study highlights that adolescents having prolonged screen exposure are likely to suffer from Sleep deprivation than those who do not have screen exposure (Internet and television). Although the study revealed significant results on the causes of sleep deprivation, the issue of spending long hours on the screen was not well elaborated, which calls for further research. More importantly, the researchers did not show how many hours an adolescent should sleep. Further, the researchers were unable to identify why prolonged screen exposure would increase sleep duration among adolescents. Previous studies had shown that it is a cause of sleep deprivation, but different findings were obtained from this research. The researchers were not able to explain how this is not one of the causes of sleeplessness. There is also a lack of a general definition of what amounts to sleep deprivation, which leads to different findings when studies are conducted. In summation, the study will help determine the main causes of sleep deprivation in adolescents and the measures that can be taken to control it. However, due to the limitations, there is a need for further studies to establish what amounts to insomnia. There is also a need to determine whether spending long hours on the screen causes sleep deprivation.
Conclusion
Without a doubt, the study cannot be entirely depended on to give clear findings due to the weaknesses, including the study’s design, determinant of the number of sleeping hours, and identification of what results in insomnia. The study aimed to evaluate the sleeping deprivations among adolescents. From the analysis, sleep deprivation was dominant in Saudi Arabia. Also, the study showed that some adolescents feel unrefreshed during waking up. Further studies are needed to identify what results in insomnia.
- Nasim M, Saade M, AlBuhairan F. Sleep deprivation: prevalence and associated factors among adolescents in Saudi Arabia. Sleep medicine. 2019 Jan 1;53:165-71.
- Sanchez SE, Martinez C, Oriol RA, Yanez D, Castañeda B, Sanchez E, Gelaye B, Williams MA. Sleep quality, sleep patterns, and consumption of energy drinks and other caffeinated beverages among Peruvian college students. Health. 2013 Aug;5(8B):26.
- Clarke G, Harvey AG. The complex role of sleep in adolescent depression. Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics. 2012 Apr 1;21(2):385-400.
- Hale L, Guan S. Screen time and sleep among school-aged children and adolescents: a systematic literature review. Sleep medicine reviews. 2015 Jun 1;21:50-8.
- Irwin MR, Olmstead R, Carroll JE. Sleep disturbance, sleep duration, and inflammation: a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies and experimental sleep deprivation. Biological psychiatry. 2016 Jul 1;80(1):40-52. Available from: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0006322315004370