“Given that sleep is highly visible as a risk factor, non-stigmatizing, and highly treatable … we suggest study of sleep as a risk factor and critical intervention target for youth suicide,” said senior study author Dr. Rebecca Bernert, a suicidologist and founder of the Stanford Suicide Prevention Research Laboratory in California, via email.
Suicide is a leading cause of death among children ages 10 to 14, a group that also has high rates of sleep disturbance, according to the study.
And sleep disturbances “have emerged as an evidence-based risk factor for suicidal behaviors” among adults, regardless of whether a person has depressive symptoms, the authors said.
At that time, guardians answered questionnaires about their child’s sleep health, which included factors such as problems with falling or staying asleep, waking up, excessive sleepiness, sleep-disorder breathing, excessive sweating during sleep, and behaviors that occur when someone partially awakes from deep sleep.
Supporting your child’s healthAt all ages, your kids need good nighttime habits that support healthy sleep, Willard said.
Persons:
ideation, ”, Rebecca Bernert, Christopher Willard, wasn’t, ” Willard, Rebecca Berry, University’s, Berry wasn’t, Bernert, ” Bernert, Berry, Sleep, Willard, ” Berry, —
Organizations:
Lifeline, CNN, JAMA, Stanford, Prevention Research, Harvard Medical School, University’s Grossman School of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine
Locations:
California, United States, Massachusetts, Boston, New