Those who have poor sleeping habits during adolescence may be more likely to develop drinking and drug problems later in life, according to a new study from researchers at Idaho State University. For the study the researchers examined reported sleep habits, drug use and alcohol consumption in a nationwide survey carried out between 1994 and 2002.
For other reasons to get a good night's sleep, check out this list of health disorders linked to a lack of sleep.
Of the 6,500 adolescents surveyed, they found that those with worse sleep habits were more likely to drink and use drugs and also reported risky behaviors they later regretted. They also found a correlation between increased severity of sleep problems and substance abuse.
"A lot of parents don't monitor their adolescents' sleep schedules and let them make their own decisions about when to go to bed. But parents need to start talking to their teenagers, not just about grades and extra-curricular activities but about sleep too. And they must get help if needed," the researchers explained.
Wondering why your kids aren't getting enough sleep? The answer might be their electronic devices. Check out this story about the connection.
And it isn't just kids. That e-book might be hurting your sleep as well. Take a look here to learn more.
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May 15, 2026 15:25 ET Apart from the confirmation of Kevin Warsh as the next Fed chair, the main news on the economics front this week included key price data from the U.S. and the first quarter economic growth figures from major economies. Both consumer prices and producer costs have started to reflect the effect of supply shocks due to the Middle East conflict. In Europe, GDP data was in focus, while inflation data from China dominated the news flow in Asia.