Study Loneliness often causes sleep problems in adolescents

How does felt loneliness affect sleep??
Many teenagers often go to bed too late. Under the lack of sleep usually suffers the performance in the school. Sufficient sleep time together with good sleep quality are important for our offspring. Researchers now found that an unexpected factor also significantly affects the sleep quality of adolescents. There is a connection between loneliness and poor sleep quality.

The scientists of the internationally recognized King's College London found in their study that there is a connection between loneliness and poor sleep quality in young adults. The doctors published a press release on the results of their study.

Our sleep is important for the health of the body and mind. Physicians found that loneliness in young adults causes their quality of sleep to be massively reduced. (Image: from Lieres / fotolia.com)

Study included more than 2,000 subjects
For their work, the experts examined more than 2,000 young British adults. They tried to find out if there is a connection between loneliness and bad sleep quality. The scientists found that lonely people tire rather 24 percent. Those affected usually have difficulty concentrating during the day, explain the scientists.

What is loneliness?
Loneliness is defined by researchers as a desperate feeling that people experience when they perceive their social relationships as inadequate. This is different from the concept of social isolation, because people can be socially isolated without feeling lonely, say the authors. Those affected can feel lonely, even though they are surrounded by many people.

Loneliness usually occurs between the ages of 18 and 34 years
The effect of loneliness among the elderly has been well documented, but the problem is also widespread among young people. Loneliness most often occurs between the ages of 18 and 34, the experts explain. Nevertheless, little is known about the health problems associated with loneliness in young adults. The effects of loneliness on sleep are still largely unexplored.

Participants had to complete questionnaires about loneliness
The researchers from King's College London used the data from the so-called Environmental Risk (E-Risk) Longitudinal Twin Study for their study. This cohort study included 2,232 twins born in England and Wales. Loneliness was measured by answering different questions.

25 to 30 percent of the subjects reported occasional loneliness
In addition, the sleep quality was measured for one month. For example, scientists looked at the time it took the subjects to fall asleep. Also sleep duration and possible sleep disturbances were considered, say the researchers. In total, 25 to 30 percent of subjects reported by sampling that they sometimes feel lonely. Another five percent reported frequent feelings of loneliness. The researchers found that the association between loneliness and sleep quality even persisted after the symptoms of mental health problems such as depression and anxiety were taken into account.

Effects of past effects of violence influence the quality of sleep
Another possible reason for restless sleep in lonely individuals is that they suffer from the effects of past violence. These include, for example, crimes, sexual abuse, child maltreatment and violent abuse of family members. The link between loneliness and poor sleep quality was nearly 70 percent stronger in the heaviest forms of violence, the researchers explain.

Those affected should receive professional support early on
Decreased sleep quality is one of the many ways in which loneliness affects the quality of life of those affected. The results of the study emphasize the importance of early therapeutic approaches to feeling loneliness. Many of the adolescents in our study are currently at university and live alone for the first time without their parents. This condition can create a sense of loneliness, say the doctors. It is therefore very important that sufferers receive adequate support to address these feelings before they turn into serious mental health problems. (As)