If You (Don’t) Snooze, Do You Use? Prospective Links Between Adolescent Sleep Patterns and Substance Use and Depression

Adolescent sleep and mental health are closely linked; however, less is known regarding how unique patterns of sleep influence youth mental health. This study aimed to identify subgroups of adolescent sleepers, demographic predictors of subgroup membership, and their prospective links with mental health outcomes. Youth from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (N = 5411; 51.8% female) self-reported sleep (duration, sufficiency, problems, bedtime), depressive symptoms, alcohol use, cannabis use, and demographics at baseline (W1; 1994–1995; M_age = 15.06) and 1 year later (W2; 1996). Latent profile analysis revealed three sleep profiles: Optimal (highest quantity/quality, earliest bedtime), Low-Quantity/Later Bedtime (lowest duration/sufficiency, latest bedtime), and Low-Quality (highest problems). Several demographic covariates were associated with profiles. Less-optimal profiles were associated with greater W2 depressive symptoms and substance use, controlling for W1 levels. Youth with low-quantity/later bedtimes were especially at-risk for cannabis use. Results may inform interventions seeking to improve adolescent mental health by targeting multiple aspects of sleep.