Insights into adolescent sleep and mental health in rural area of Northwestern China

Abstract Adolescents in affluent nations have experienced a decline in sleep duration, associated with adverse outcomes such as behavioral issues and health concerns. However, the connection between sleep and mental well-being during adolescence, particularly in developing regions like rural China,...

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Main Authors: Wenting Liu, Hongyu Guan, Xiangzhe Chen, Lidong Zhang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2024-12-01
Series:Scientific Reports
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-82220-1
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author Wenting Liu
Hongyu Guan
Xiangzhe Chen
Lidong Zhang
author_facet Wenting Liu
Hongyu Guan
Xiangzhe Chen
Lidong Zhang
author_sort Wenting Liu
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Adolescents in affluent nations have experienced a decline in sleep duration, associated with adverse outcomes such as behavioral issues and health concerns. However, the connection between sleep and mental well-being during adolescence, particularly in developing regions like rural China, remains underexplored. A cross-sectional study of 18,516 adolescents in 124 junior high schools in Ningxia, China, utilized the strengths and difficulties questionnaire to assess mental health. The findings highlighted a complex, nonlinear link between sleep duration and mental health, with a U-shaped trend for overall difficulties and an inverse U-shape for prosocial behavior. The study also explored potential mechanisms behind these relationships, suggesting that time allocation to activities such as screen time and outdoor activities could mediate the effects of sleep duration on mental health. Longer sleep durations could lead to less screen time and more outdoor engagement, both of which positively affect mental well-being. Balanced sleep duration is crucial for adolescent mental health. The study calls for interventions to improve sleep hygiene and mental health services in rural areas, emphasizing the need for policy support to address sleep deprivation and its impact on mental well-being.
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spelling doaj-art-b49a9a1844eb4049a52d06cf1a89d8422024-12-29T12:17:17ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222024-12-0114111010.1038/s41598-024-82220-1Insights into adolescent sleep and mental health in rural area of Northwestern ChinaWenting Liu0Hongyu Guan1Xiangzhe Chen2Lidong Zhang3Center for Experimental Economics for Education, Shaanxi Normal UniversityCenter for Experimental Economics for Education, Shaanxi Normal UniversityCenter for Experimental Economics for Education, Shaanxi Normal UniversityCenter for Experimental Economics for Education, Shaanxi Normal UniversityAbstract Adolescents in affluent nations have experienced a decline in sleep duration, associated with adverse outcomes such as behavioral issues and health concerns. However, the connection between sleep and mental well-being during adolescence, particularly in developing regions like rural China, remains underexplored. A cross-sectional study of 18,516 adolescents in 124 junior high schools in Ningxia, China, utilized the strengths and difficulties questionnaire to assess mental health. The findings highlighted a complex, nonlinear link between sleep duration and mental health, with a U-shaped trend for overall difficulties and an inverse U-shape for prosocial behavior. The study also explored potential mechanisms behind these relationships, suggesting that time allocation to activities such as screen time and outdoor activities could mediate the effects of sleep duration on mental health. Longer sleep durations could lead to less screen time and more outdoor engagement, both of which positively affect mental well-being. Balanced sleep duration is crucial for adolescent mental health. The study calls for interventions to improve sleep hygiene and mental health services in rural areas, emphasizing the need for policy support to address sleep deprivation and its impact on mental well-being.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-82220-1Sleep durationMental healthAdolescentsStrengths and difficulties questionnaire (SDQ)Rural China
spellingShingle Wenting Liu
Hongyu Guan
Xiangzhe Chen
Lidong Zhang
Insights into adolescent sleep and mental health in rural area of Northwestern China
Scientific Reports
Sleep duration
Mental health
Adolescents
Strengths and difficulties questionnaire (SDQ)
Rural China
title Insights into adolescent sleep and mental health in rural area of Northwestern China
title_full Insights into adolescent sleep and mental health in rural area of Northwestern China
title_fullStr Insights into adolescent sleep and mental health in rural area of Northwestern China
title_full_unstemmed Insights into adolescent sleep and mental health in rural area of Northwestern China
title_short Insights into adolescent sleep and mental health in rural area of Northwestern China
title_sort insights into adolescent sleep and mental health in rural area of northwestern china
topic Sleep duration
Mental health
Adolescents
Strengths and difficulties questionnaire (SDQ)
Rural China
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-82220-1
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