A new study has found that teenagers with chronic or persistent negative thinking are more likely to develop sleep deprivation and depression later in their lives.
Longstanding negative thinking linked to perfectionism can keep adolescents awake at night, increasing their risk of developing depression and anxiety.
Researchers conducted an online study of nearly 400 teenagers and assessed their repetitive negative thinking, difficulty initiating sleep, perfectionism, and depressed or anxious mood.
They found that those who were thinking negatively were more vulnerable to difficulty initiating sleep as well as depressed/anxious mood.
The study findings support the concept of persistent negative thinking as a potential risk factor for sleep disorders, anxiety, and depression.
In addition, the researchers found that differences in perfectionism could amplify the association between chronic negative thinking and mood.
The strong desire to do well in school often drives students to work hard toward perfection in order to get good grades and scores. However, the problem is they constantly strive for perfection, which could backfire them.
The researchers explained that the study findings will help clinicians to advise alternative treatments to teenagers who deal with sleep deprivation and depression due to chronic negative thinking and perfectionism.
Prof. Michael Gradisar from Flinders University noted that the study findings confirmed an association between chronic negative thinking and sleep deprivation, especially in those with perfectionist tendencies.
He said, “Repetitive negative thinking is habit-forming and it can significantly contribute to making sleep difficult and causing depressed mood in teenagers, who already like to stay up late at night,”
“This study supports the need to recognize repetitive negative thinking in preventing and treating sleep problems, along with individual differences in perfectionism and mood,” Prof. Gradisar added.
In adolescents, depression and anxiety could lead to poor concentration, a lack of interest in schoolwork, and other psychological issues, including suicide.
Prof. Gradisar explained that that sleep plays a key role in treating and preventing depression in teenagers.
He advised parents to help their children get better sleep by encouraging regular bedtime routines and keeping them from using TV, smartphones, or any electronic device in the evening. He also noted that stress, busy lifestyles, and excessive screen time could affect sleep in teenagers.
