Pre-pandemic circadian phase predicts pandemic alcohol use among adolescents.

ABSTRACT: Later circadian timing during adolescence is linked to worse sleep, more severe depression and greater alcohol involvement, perhaps due to circadian misalignment imposed by early school schedules. School schedules shifted later during the COVID-19 pandemic, ostensibly reducing circadian misalignment and potentially mitigating problems with depression and alcohol. We used the pandemic as a natural experiment to test whether adolescent drinkers with later circadian timing showed improvements in sleep, depression and alcohol involvement. Participants were 42 adolescents reporting alcohol use. We assessed circadian phase via dim light melatonin onset prior to the pandemic, then conducted remote assessments of sleep, depressive symptoms and alcohol use during the pandemic. Mixed-effects models

SUBMITTER: Hasler BP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10564965 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature