Sleep may matter more than screen time or diet for adolescents' grades, study finds

Summer offers students a rare chance to recover from the pressures of the school year, allowing them to catch up on the rest that demanding schedules often leave little time for. Sleep is key for the correct functioning of the body; however, data shows that adolescents are not getting all the sleep they need and this may be harming their mental health and, in turn, their performance at school.A new study found that sleep may play a greater role in adolescents' education and personal life than screen time, exercise or diet, especially among those suffering from anxiety, depression and other mental health challenges. "We expected sleep to be important, but we didn't expect it to stand out so clearly above other lifestyle factors, particularly screen time,” said Jason Smucny, the study's first author at the University of California, Davis in the United States. Researchers analysed how four lifestyle factors, sleep quality, screen time, physical activity and diet, affected the link between mental health and academic and social skills among children aged 10 to 13. The researchers analysed data from over 6,000 participants for academic performance and from over 7,000 for social problems. They found that children and adolescents with symptoms of depression, anxiety, or psychotic-like experiences tended to do worse academically and socially. However, much of this link could be explained by lifestyle habits, especially sleep. “These findings point to sleep quality as an important factor through which early symptoms of mental health conditions translate into reduced academic performance,” the authors noted. The researchers point to a few possible explanations for why sleep has such a strong effect. The authors noted that poor sleep is linked to daytime fatigue, attention problems, and poorer executive functioning, all of which are critical for school performance.For social functioning, sleep may be a central factor because disruptions can exacerbate social withdrawal and irritability, making it harder for adolescents to maintain healthy relationships."Parents, educators and clinicians understandably focus on symptoms like anxiety and depression," said the study’s senior author Tara Niendam. "But what often matters most to young people and their families is how those symptoms affect everyday life — how they perform in school, connect with friends and navigate daily challenges. This study suggests that sleep may be one pathway linking mental health to those real-world outcomes."She added that sleep is something parents and families can address. "While it won't solve every mental health challenge, healthy sleep routines are a practical way to support a child's emotional well-being and day-to-day functioning."