Researchers to Investigate Whether More Sleep Can Help Depressed Teens
Depression in teens could be reduced, say researchers, by something simple, yet often lacking: a good night's sleep.
Teenagers should be getting about nine hours of sleep per night, according to experts, but few do. In fact, the average teen only gets about seven hours of sleep per night. While in the past it was believed that poor sleep was simply a byproduct of depression, thinking on this matter is changing. Chronic sleep deprivation may actually be a cause of depression, experts say.
Allison Harvey, a clinical psychologist at UC Berkeley and her team at the university's Sleep and Psychological Disorders Laboratory have plans to research this problem by recruiting 60 middle and high school students to discover if more sleep may indeed be a valid way to prevent or treat teen depression.
The 60 teens who participate in the 12-week study will self-report their sleep habits and participate in 12 one-hour, weekly sessions of cognitive behavior therapy focusing upon sleep and mood patterns.
If results are promising, says Harvey, a larger follow up study will be conducted to confirm the results.
If you live in the Berkeley area, have a middle school or high school aged child who is experiencing depression symptoms and are interested in having them participate in the project you can get more information by calling (510) 643-3797 or emailing teensleepucb@gmail.com.
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