Tired Teens at Increased Risk of Injury, New Study Finds

Recent international research led by Brock University highlights a significant link between insufficient sleep among adolescents and a heightened risk of injuries. Published in the European Journal of Public Health, the study emphasizes that teens who experience poor sleep quality and quantity are more vulnerable to injuries that require medical treatment. The research, involving over 230,000 students aged 11 to 15 from 46 countries, employed data from the World Health Organization's Health Behavior in School-Aged Children (HBSC) survey.

Participants reported their sleep patterns, sleep difficulties, and whether they had experienced injuries requiring medical attention or more severe interventions like stitches or surgery within the past year. Findings revealed that nearly half of the adolescents had insufficient sleep on school days, with girls consistently reporting more sleep issues than boys across all countries.

The data indicated that teens with sleep difficulties, especially those who struggle to fall asleep, faced a higher likelihood of sustaining injuries. Girls were particularly prone, showing greater risks for injury regardless of sleep patterns. The study suggests that poor sleep impairs cognitive functions such as attention, decision-making, and social information processing, which can contribute to accidents and injuries.

Experts from Brock University, including Ph.D. student Valerie Pagnotta, Professor William Pickett, and Professor Peter Donnelly, emphasize the importance of addressing sleep issues. They argue that this relationship between sleep and injury should be considered in public health policies and clinical advice, especially during adolescence, a critical period for development. This research builds on earlier findings linking sleep deficits to injury risks among Canadian teens and underscores the need for better sleep hygiene among youth to enhance safety and overall health.

Source: [https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-04-teens-prone-injury.html]