title: Teen sleep and suicidality: results from the youth risk behavior surveys of 2007 and 2009.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Suicide in the adolescent population is a tragic and preventable cause of death. Previous studies have confirmed both long and short total sleep times (TSTs) are associated with suicidal ideation in the adult population. We hypothesized that both long and short TSTs are risk factors for serious suicide attempt in the adolescent population as well.
  
  
  METHODS
  We tested this hypothesis using the Youth Risk Behavior Surveys from 2007 and 2009, which consist of school-based, nationally representative samples (N = 12,154 for 2007, N = 14,782 for 2009). Logistic regression models were used to assess the relationship between suicidality and sleep after adjusting for confounders including age, sex, race/ethnicity, feelings of sadness, and substance abuse.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the total sample, roughly 15% reported suicidal ideation, 10% planned suicide, 5% attempted and 2% reported an attempt requiring treatment. Teens who reported sleeping ≤ 5 or ≥ 10 h had a significantly higher risk for suicidality compared to those with a TST of 8 h. The largest odds ratios were found among the most severe forms of suicidality (attempt requiring treatment) with an odds ratio of 5.9 for a TST ≤ 4 h and 4.7 for a TST ≥ 10 h.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Both short and long TSTs are risk factors for suicidality among teens and extremes in TST may indicate more serious suicidality. Self-reported sleep duration may be a useful screening question for suicide risk. Future studies should examine whether sleep duration is a causal and/or modifiable risk factor for suicidality in teens.
authors: University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Department of Psychiatry, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA. fitzgeraldcaris@uams.edu
authors: Caris T
authors: CT
authors: Fitzgerald
authors: Erick
authors: E
authors: Messias
authors: Daniel J
authors: DJ
authors: Buysse
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D017677:Age Distribution; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012309:Risk-Taking; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012890:Sleep; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D014481:United States; D000092864:Suicide Prevention