Irregular sleep, late bedtimes linked to worse grades for students

Irregular sleep and late bedtimes are linked to worse grades and more school-related behavioral problems among teens, according to a study funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), reported Xinhua.

Researchers analyzed data from nearly 800 adolescents participating in a larger study, NIH said in a release on Tuesday. Participants provided information on grades and school-related behavioral issues. They also wore a wrist accelerometer for a week so that study staff could estimate their sleep patterns.

Participants with more variable bedtimes had a greater chance of receiving a D or lower during the last grading period, compared to those with more consistent bedtimes. Adolescents who went to bed later, got up later or varied the number of hours they slept per night had fewer classes in which they received an A, according to the study results.

Adolescents were more likely to be suspended or expelled in the last two years if they got up later, varied the number of hours they slept each night or if they varied the time they went to bed each night, the study suggests.

The researchers theorized that delayed bedtimes could result in late school arrivals, which could affect learning and behavior.