Health Day reported a new study that found obstructive sleep apnea in teenagers may have different-looking brains than other peers their age. With nearly 100 teens taking part of the study, “teens with OSA had a thinner brain cortex and a larger volume in part of the hippocampus (which could indicate inflammation or swelling), compared to kids without the disorder. The more severe the apnea condition was, the greater those brain differences were.”
Senior researcher Dr. Raanan Arens, chief of respiratory and sleep medicine at Children’s Hospital at Montefiore in New York City, said the recent study needs more work to find clarity. Arens explained that sleep apnea “repeatedly disrupts the brain’s oxygen supply, and it deprives kids of the deep ‘restorative’ sleep necessary for healthy brain development and functioning.”
Common with OSA, kids may have chronically inflamed tonsils or adenoids. Restless sleep at night can also create irritability at school, attention or behavioral problems such as ADHD, or more serious issues with pauses in breathing. Untreated, OSA seems to be creating more instances of sleep deprivation.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common, serious condition in adults but is a condition in children that can lead to learning, behavior, growth, and heart problems. According to the American Sleep Apnea Association, symptoms and signs in children suffering from OSA can include:
- snoring;
- long pauses in breathing;
- tossing and turning in bed;
- chronic mouth breathing during sleep; and/or
- night sweats.
If you notice your teen is showing signs of sleep-deprivation, irritability, and a change in attitude, work together on establishing a bedtime routine. Don’t just ask your teen to consider the tips to sleep well but practice what you teach. Hopefully a combination of these tips will help your teen reduce levels of anxiety, function more optimally at school, and avoid sleeping in the afternoon lack of sleep the previous night.
An A.W.A.K.E. support group through the American Sleep Apnea Association can help with any
questions to others who have experienced misdiagnosis and the road ahead while dealing with
pediatric OSA.
Teenagers and Adequate Sleep
With 8 to 10 hours sleep needed for a teen, studies show an average of 6.9 hours sleep by the time they enter senior year: a 1.5 hour decrease from sixth grade. This segment of the population equates to 69 percent of American teens sleeping less than 7 hours of sleep per night.
While the teen brain is in a stage of rapid development, a good night’s rest is critical. As children switch to their teenage years, studies have found a new phenomenon: sleep-phase delay. A teen’s circadian rhythm shifts to a later time creating their internal biological clock to delay. On average, the delay affects falling asleep two hours later than as a child.
Arising in ages 14 to 16, anxiety and depression are also commonly linked to insomnia resulting in possible suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts, and substance abuse disorders. A published article in Sleep Medicine studied whether insomnia is related directly to depression, anxiety, and subtypes of each. Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) along with panic disorder, OCD, separation anxiety, and social phobia were associated with teen night owls.
If anxiety or OSA is interfering with normal functionality, it is important to consult a doctor as soon as possible. A doctor may then provide the number to a sleep clinic. Call Alaska Sleep Clinic today for a free sleep assessment. As the only independent sleep lab in Alaska with a Pediatric Sleep Medical Director, we have the expertise to help your son or daughter improve their sleep and their life!
