Sleep disturbances in children can trigger suicide risk: Study explains

Usually, sleep disturbances in children are dismissed as natural sleep patterns that can be fixed with time.

However, a recent study states that sleep disturbances in children are more serious than previously assumeed. According to the study conducted by Stanford Suicide Prevention Research Laboratory in California, sleep disturbances in children at the age of 10 can trigger 2.7 times higher risk for suicidal ideation and suicide attempts after two years.

According to the study, at least one out of three participants reported suicidal behaviour later. Dr. Rebecca Bernert, a suicidologist and founder of the Stanford Suicide Prevention Research Laboratory in California, in an email interaction with CNN explained, sleep can be a risk factor for youth suicides. It is advised to non-stigmatise sleep disturbances and treat them accordingly to prevent suicides.

Suicide: One of the leading causes of death in child
According to the study, around the age of 10 to 14 years, suicide is one of the leading causes of death– the same age group also reported sleep disturbances.

The study was conducted on 8,800 children recruited by the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study at 21 sites across the United States. Factors such as problems with falling or staying asleep, waking up, excessive sleepiness, sleep-disorder breathing, excessive sweating during sleep and behavioural patterns in half-sleep were observed by the guardians of the children.

Other factors leading to suicidal tendencies
Since the first data collection, 91.3 percent participants did not experience suicidal behaviours – however, participants who had suicidal tendencies were linked to severe sleep disturbances. The study further observed that factors such as depression, anxiety and family conflict or history of depression also contributed to suicide attempts and ideation. However, the risk was associated to be higher in participants of colour and female adolescents. The study further noted that having nightmares on a daily basis was associated with five times higher risk of suicidal tendencies.