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Sleep improvement as a contributing factor to reducing alcohol use among adolescents

Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Sleep quality improvement remains an underexplored protective factor for alcohol use among adolescents, a group at heightened risk for both drinking and sleep problems. This study examines the prospective association between sleep quality and alcohol use and the impact of sleep improvement on drinking behaviors. A six-month, two-wave longitudinal study was conducted with 193 Spanish adolescents (aged 15–17; 59.6% female) who self-reported their sleep quality and alcohol use. Mixed-effects models were applied. Results showed that poor sleep predicted increased alcohol consumption (RR=1.2; 95%CI=1.1–1.3). Likewise, improvements in global sleep quality scores were associated with reduced binge drinking (OR=1.1; 95%CI=1.0–1.3), lower drinking frequency (OR=1.2; 95%CI=1.0–1.3), and decreased AUDIT scores (OR=1.2; 95%CI=1.0–1.4). Specifically, reporting more sleep hours and higher sleep efficiency was linked to lower alcohol use frequency (OR=1.3 and OR=1.0, respectively); also, reporting fewer night awakenings prospectively correlated with a reduction in AUDIT scores (OR=2.0; 95%CI=1.4–2.9). Improving sleep quality may contribute to reduce adolescent alcohol use, underscoring the need to integrate sleep-focused strategies into drug use prevention programs. • Good sleep was linked to lower alcohol use over time in regular drinking • Improved sleep led to a lower probability of problematic and binge drinking • Improved sleep was associated with reduced frequency of alcohol use • Greater number of sleep hours and efficiency led to lower alcohol use • Treating sleep issues could potentially benefit substance use prevention programs
DOI: 10.1016/j.sleep.2025.106866
Language: English
Subfield: Epidemiology
Field: Medicine
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $4,350
OpenAlex ID: W4415224953
FWCI: 0.623
Cites: 49
Cited by: 1
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