Mass General Brigham study also finds link to violent behaviors such as carrying a weapon, highlighting the vicious cycle between lack of sleep and violence
New research led by Mass General Brigham researchers reveals an association between insufficient sleep and the witnessing of neighborhood violence by adolescents. Based on nationwide survey data from more than 40,000 teenagers, the study also showed that individuals who slept less than the recommended 8-10 hours per night were more likely to engage in violent behaviors, such as carrying weapons or fighting. Results are published in SLEEP .
"This is one of the first studies to connect community violence with how much teenagers actually sleep," said first author Cornelia Griggs, MD , a pediatric surgeon and critical care specialist in the Mass General Brigham Department of Surgery. "It's a reminder that sleep isn't just an individual health habit, it's also shaped by the safety and stability of the communities our kids live in."
To identify links between violence and sleep, the researchers analyzed data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's national Youth Risk Behavior Survey for 2019, 2021 and 2023. In the survey, respondents were asked questions, including how many hours of sleep they get on an average school night, whether they have ever witnessed violence in their neighborhood, and whether they have carried weapons or been in a physical fight in the past 30 days.
Altogether, the researchers analyzed surveys from 44,161 young adults aged 14-19 years old. More than three-quarters of respondents (77%) reported getting insufficient sleep on an average school night (defined as less than eight hours for older children and adolescents), and 10% reported getting four hours of sleep or less.
Individuals who reported getting insufficient sleep were more likely to report having witnessed someone getting physically attacked, beaten, stabbed, or shot in their neighborhood, and this association became stronger with each additional hour of sleep lost. For individuals who slept four hours or less, the odds of having been exposed to violence increased nearly threefold.
Getting insufficient sleep was also strongly linked to higher odds of violent behaviors such as carrying a weapon, getting into physical fights, being threatened or injured at school, and skipping school due to feeling unsafe. Similarly, each of these associations was strongest for individuals who reported the least amount of sleep (four hours or less).
"This study sheds light on how insufficient sleep can contribute to cycles of violence," said senior author Rebecca Robbins, PhD , a sleep researcher at Brigham and Women's Hospital's Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders . "Future efforts should include advocacy around noise reduction and reducing nighttime violence, which could promote healthier sleep habits in communities that are disproportionately impacted by violence ."
Surprisingly, the 1.6% of respondents who reported getting more than the recommended amount of sleep — defined as 10 hours or more — also had increased odds of both having witnessed violence and of engaging in violent behaviors.
"One possible explanation for this association is that adolescents with longer sleep duration may be experiencing underlying conditions such as depression, anxiety, or sleep disorders," said Robbins. "More sleep isn't always better."
The researchers plan to conduct further research to understand how gun violence impacts sleep in young people and how insufficient sleep is linked to violent behavior. They're also working with communities to promote healthy sleep and to support people impacted by gun violence.
Authorship: In addition to Robbins, Mass General Brigham authors include Cornelia L. Griggs, Peter T. Masiakos, and Chana A. Sacks. Additional authors include Reagan A. Collins and Josélio R. de Oliveira Filho.
Disclosures: Robbins reports consulting income from Hilton Hotels, byNacht GmbH, Savoir Beds Ltd., Ouraring Ltd., and Sonesta Hotels International. Robbins is on the Medical Advisory Board to Oura Ring, Somnum Pharmaceuticals, and Equinox Fitness Clubs. Robbins has received research funding from Lusome, Google, and Oura Ring.
Funding: This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.
Paper cited: Griggs, C et al. "The relationship between insufficient sleep, exposure to violence, and violent behaviors in adolescents" SLEEP DOI: 10.1093/sleep/zsaf283
