Overview
- A longitudinal analysis of 8,524 adolescents in the UK Millennium Cohort Study found that shorter time in bed on school nights and more frequent night awakenings at age 14 predicted self-reported suicide attempts at age 17.
- These sleep indicators remained significant after adjusting for socioeconomic status, prior self-harm, and mental health difficulties, and they outperformed depressive symptoms as predictors.
- Rational decision-making measured at 14 moderated the link between night awakenings and later attempts, with the apparent protective effect weakening under frequent sleep disruption.
- Sleep measures covered time in bed, sleep onset latency, frequency of night awakenings, and social jetlag, while suicide attempts were assessed by self-report at 17.
- Researchers urge sleep-focused screening and intervention studies to test causality and prevention potential; the peer-reviewed study was published Oct. 23, 2025, in Sleep Advances.