Children with later bedtimes and less sleep were more likely to try marijuana by age 15
In a national birth cohort of 1,514 children, later bedtimes at age 5 and shorter sleep at age 9 predicted higher odds of trying marijuana by age 15, even after controlling for family and demographic factors.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
At age 15, later bedtime (aOR 1.35) and shorter sleep at age 9 (aOR 1.19) were associated with greater odds of trying marijuana. Later bedtimes at age 5 also predicted marijuana use (aOR 1.26). Cross-sectionally at 15, later bedtime (aOR 1.35) was associated with marijuana use.
Key Numbers
1,514 adolescents from 20 US cities; later bedtime at age 5 predicted marijuana use at 15 (aOR 1.26); shorter sleep at age 9 predicted marijuana use (aOR 1.19); at age 15: later bedtime aOR 1.35 for marijuana
How They Did This
Prospective longitudinal analysis of the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study, a national birth cohort from 20 US cities. Parent-reported sleep measures at ages 3, 5, and 9 were linked to self-reported marijuana and alcohol use at age 15 (n = 1,514). Logistic regressions adjusted for sex, race/ethnicity, family structure, income, and caregiver education.
Why This Research Matters
Identifying childhood sleep problems as a modifiable risk factor for adolescent substance use opens a window for early prevention long before drug exposure becomes a concern.
The Bigger Picture
Sleep is increasingly recognized as foundational to child development. This study adds substance use risk to the growing list of adverse outcomes associated with poor childhood sleep habits.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Observational design cannot prove sleep problems cause later substance use; parent-reported sleep for younger ages, self-reported at 15; unmeasured confounders possible; bedtime is a proxy for sleep quality; urban birth cohort may not generalize to all settings
Questions This Raises
- ?Would improving childhood sleep habits reduce adolescent substance use?
- ?Is the relationship mediated through self-regulation or other developmental pathways?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Later bedtime at age 5 predicted marijuana use at 15 (aOR 1.26)
- Evidence Grade:
- Prospective longitudinal birth cohort with appropriate confounder adjustment, though limited by observational design and sleep measurement proxies.
- Study Age:
- 2024 study using longitudinal data from ages 3-15
- Original Title:
- Childhood sleep is prospectively associated with adolescent alcohol and marijuana use.
- Published In:
- Annals of epidemiology, 98, 25-31 (2024)
- Authors:
- Krishnan, Akshay S, Reichenberger, David A, Strayer, Stephen M, Master, Lindsay, Russell, Michael A, Buxton, Orfeu M, Hale, Lauren, Chang, Anne-Marie
- Database ID:
- RTHC-05440
Evidence Hierarchy
Watches what happens naturally without intervening.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
How did childhood sleep predict marijuana use?
Children who had later bedtimes at age 5 were 26% more likely to try marijuana by age 15. Those with shorter sleep duration at age 9 were 19% more likely. These associations held after accounting for family income, structure, race/ethnicity, and other factors.
Does this mean poor sleep causes drug use?
Not necessarily. The study shows a prospective association, meaning childhood sleep problems preceded the marijuana use by years. However, both could be driven by shared underlying factors like family environment or self-regulation difficulties. Still, the authors argue protecting childhood sleep habits may reduce substance use risk.
Read More on RethinkTHC
Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-05440APA
Krishnan, Akshay S; Reichenberger, David A; Strayer, Stephen M; Master, Lindsay; Russell, Michael A; Buxton, Orfeu M; Hale, Lauren; Chang, Anne-Marie. (2024). Childhood sleep is prospectively associated with adolescent alcohol and marijuana use.. Annals of epidemiology, 98, 25-31. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annepidem.2024.07.048
MLA
Krishnan, Akshay S, et al. "Childhood sleep is prospectively associated with adolescent alcohol and marijuana use.." Annals of epidemiology, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annepidem.2024.07.048
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Childhood sleep is prospectively associated with adolescent ..." RTHC-05440. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/krishnan-2024-childhood-sleep-is-prospectively
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.