Sleep Disorders and Adolescents

Background: Sleep disorders in adolescents are highly prevalent, with prevalence rates ranging from 25% to 40%. Sleep disorders include Dysomnias, Parasomnias and Circadian rhythm disturbances. The present study was undertaken with the purpose to analyse the sleep disorders among the adolescent population Methodology: This study was a cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey with adolescents with age range of 14 to 19 of both genders. Subjects with chronic Illness or use of medication which are known to affect sleep were excluded from the study. Results: Sleep disorders were observed in 27.8% of the adolescent study population. Among middle adolescents, the prevalence was 26.8%, compared to 30% among late adolescents. The study also found that 28.6% of adolescent males and 26.9% of adolescent females had sleep disorders. No statistical correlation was found between sleep disorders and age distribution or gender. However, mobile phone usage significantly impacted the occurrence of sleep disorders. Among the various sleep disorders, 19.1% of subjects reported nightmares, 18.8% reported restless leg syndrome, 17.1% experienced hypnagogic hallucinations, and 11.4% experienced hypnopompic hallucinations. Sleepwalking was observed in 0.4% of subjects, bruxism in 0.9%, and nocturnal enuresis in 0.1% of adolescents. Conclusion: Sleep disorders are not uncommon among adolescents, and these health issues should be addressed with increased awareness among both adolescents and their parents. Mobile phone usage significantly impacts the occurrence of sleep disorders. Therefore, adolescents need to be educated about the importance of adequate sleep, the components of good sleep hygiene, and strategies to facilitate healthy sleep behaviours.