Sleep problems and self-harm in adolescence

• Published in: British journal of psychiatry Vol. 207; no. 4; pp. 306 - 312
• Main Authors: Hysing, Mari, Sivertsen, Børge, Stormark, Kjell Morten, O'Connor, Rory C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 01-10-2015
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adolescents; Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; Depression; Epidemiology; Evaluation; Female; Health problems; Humans; Insomnia; Latency; Logistic Models; Male; Mental disorders; Mental health; Norway - epidemiology; Population studies; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; Psychiatry; Public health; Risk Factors; Self destructive behavior; Self injury; Self-Injurious Behavior - epidemiology; Sleep and wakefulness; Sleep disorders; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders - epidemiology; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders - psychology; Sleep Wake Disorders - epidemiology; Sleep Wake Disorders - psychology; Surveys and Questionnaires; Teenagers; Norway
• ISSN: 0007-1250; 1472-1465
• DOI: 10.1192/bjp.bp.114.146514

Although self-harm and sleep problems are major public health problems in adolescence, detailed epidemiological assessment is essential to understand the nature of this relationship.
To conduct a detailed assessment of the relationship between sleep and self-harm in adolescence.
A large population-based study in Norway surveyed 10 220 adolescents aged 16-19 years on mental health, including a comprehensive assessment of sleep and self-harm.
Adolescents with sleep problems were significantly more likely to report self-harm than those without sleep problems. Insomnia, short sleep duration, long sleep onset latency, wake after sleep on set as well as large differences between weekdays versus weekends, yielded higher odds of self-harm consistent with a dose-response relationship. Depressive symptoms accounted for some, but not all, of this association.
The findings highlight a strong relationship between sleep problems and self-harm. Interventions to reduce adolescent self-harm ought to incorporate sleep problems as a treatment target.