Teens’ School Night Sleep Habits Tied to Suicide Risk

Increased risk seen for those reporting not enough sleep or interrupted sleep

By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter

FRIDAY, Oct. 31, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Teenagers who do not get enough sleep on school nights or have interrupted sleep have a greater risk for suicide, according to a study published Oct. 23 in Sleep Advances.

Michaela Pawley, from University of Warwick in the United Kingdom, and colleagues investigated the impact of sleep problems on subsequent reported suicide attempt and whether risk-taking and decision-making moderate this relationship. The analysis included data from 8,524 participants in waves 6 (14 years) and 7 (17 years) of the Millennium Cohort Study.

The researchers found that shorter total time in bed on school days (odds ratio [OR], 0.88; P = 0.004) and more frequent night awakenings (OR, 1.15; P ≤ .001) were prospectively associated with subsequent reported suicide attempt, even when controlling for demographic and clinical covariates. The association between night awakenings and attempted suicide was moderated by rational decision-making (OR, 2.12; P = 0.002).

“Poor sleep is not just a symptom of wider difficulties, but a significant risk factor in its own right,” Pawley said in a statement. “Addressing sleep problems could form a vital part of suicide prevention strategies.”