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Gina Marie Mathew, David A Reichenberger, Lindsay Master, Orfeu M Buxton, Anne-Marie Chang, Lauren Hale, Actigraphic sleep dimensions and associations with academic functioning among adolescents, Sleep, Volume 47, Issue 7, July 2024, zsae062, https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/zsae062
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Abstract
There is mixed evidence regarding associations of sleep duration with academic functioning in adolescents and a lack of research on other sleep dimensions, particularly using objective sleep measures. We examined associations of multiple actigraphic sleep dimensions with academic functioning among adolescents.
Data were from the sleep sub-study of the age 15 wave of the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study (n = 774–782; 52% female), a national, diverse sample of teens. Adolescents wore wrist-actigraphs for ~1 week and completed a survey reporting academic performance and school-related behavioral problems. Regression models assessed whether average sleep duration, timing, maintenance efficiency, and SD-variability were associated with self-reported academic functioning in cross-sectional analyses adjusted for demographic characteristics, depressive symptoms, and anxious symptoms.
Later sleep timing (hours) and greater sleep variability (SD-hours) were associated with poorer academic outcomes, including sleep onset variability with higher odds of receiving a D or lower (OR = 1.29), sleep onset (β = −.07), sleep offset (β = −.08), and sleep duration variability (β = −.08) with fewer A grades, sleep offset with lower GPA (β = −.07), sleep offset (OR = 1.11), sleep duration variability (OR = 1.31), and sleep onset variability (OR = 1.42) with higher odds of being suspended or expelled in the past 2 years, and sleep duration variability with greater trouble at school (β = .13). Sleep duration, sleep maintenance efficiency, and sleep regularity index were not associated with academic functioning.
Later sleep timing and greater sleep variability are risk factors for certain academic problems among adolescents. Promoting sufficient, regular sleep timing across the week may improve adolescent academic functioning.

The present study examined associations between different dimensions of actigraphic sleep and several aspects of academic functioning in a large, diverse sample of adolescents in the United States. We found that later sleep timing and greater sleep variability were associated with poorer academic performance and more behavioral issues at school. Sleep duration, maintenance efficiency, and regularity index were not associated with academic functioning. The findings suggest that promoting sufficient, regular sleep timing across the week may help boost academic performance and reduce school-related behavioral issues among adolescents.
Introduction
More than 70% of adolescents in the United States obtain fewer than the 8 to 10 hours of sleep nightly [1] recommended for optimal health and well-being [2]. Short sleep has been linked to suboptimal functioning in adolescents, including poorer cognitive performance [3]. Some studies have demonstrated associations of short sleep duration with poor academic performance [4–13] and school-related behavioral problems among adolescents, including more academic-related anxiety [5], skipping classes [14], and school absences [15]. However, other studies found either no association between sleep duration and academic performance [14, 16–26] or that shorter sleep was linked with better academic performance [27]. The association between sleep and academic functioning among adolescents is therefore unclear but may be explained by other dimensions of sleep health.
Sleep health is a multidimensional construct that in addition to duration includes timing, sleep efficiency, and regularity [28], all of which may also be associated with academic functioning. As children enter adolescence, many experience a shift toward later preferred timing of sleep and other activities (i.e., chronotype) [29]. Later self-reported [19] and actigraphic [25] sleep timing and greater self-reported evening preference [21, 26, 30–32] are associated with poorer academic performance in adolescents. The evidence for sleep efficiency, which represents sleep continuity and may denote better sleep quality, is mixed; some studies demonstrated associations of higher self-reported [8] and actigraphic [26] sleep efficiency with adolescent academic functioning, whereas others found no significant associations when using actigraphy [16, 25]. Additional research is therefore warranted to investigate the associations of objectively measured sleep timing and efficiency with academic functioning in adolescents.
Early morning obligations such as school [33] shorten the opportunity between when adolescents prefer to go to sleep and when they must wake up, promoting misalignment of sleep timing across the week and sleep variability [34]. There is limited research on the associations of variability in sleep duration, variability in sleep timing, and sleep regularity index (SRI) with adolescent academic functioning. One study in 315 Icelandic adolescents demonstrated an association between actigraphic variability in sleep duration and poorer academic performance [25], and another study in 265 US adolescents found an association between actigraphic SRI and better grades [35]. In another study of 542 Italian adolescents, actigraphic social jetlag was associated with lower GPA [4], but actigraphic sleep timing and variability were not associated with school grades in another study of 80 Canadian adolescent girls [10]. Therefore, the evidence for an association between sleep variability and poorer academic functioning in adolescents is mixed.
There is moreover a lack of research on the associations between dimensions of sleep and aspects of academic functioning other than performance, such as skipping school, suspensions and expulsions, and trouble getting along with teachers and other students. Additionally, most studies that examine sleep and academic functioning in adolescents rely on self-reported sleep [5–9, 11, 13–15, 17–24, 27, 30–32, 36–38], which can deviate from objective measures such as actigraphy [39]. To the best of our knowledge, six studies [4, 10, 16, 25, 26, 35] have examined associations between actigraphic sleep and academic performance in adolescents, with sample sizes ranging from 36 [26] to 542 [4]; none of these examined school-related behavioral issues. Four of these six [4, 10, 25, 35] examined whether dimensions of sleep variability were associated with academic performance, with sample sizes ranging from 80 [10] to 542 [4]. Therefore, additional research that examines the link between different dimensions of sleep and several aspects of academic functioning, including behavioral issues, in a large sample of adolescents is warranted.
The present study examined whether several dimensions of actigraphic sleep were associated with academic functioning, including academic performance and behavioral issues in school, among a large, diverse sample of nearly 800 US adolescents. We hypothesized that shorter sleep duration, later sleep timing, lower sleep efficiency, and greater sleep variability would be associated with poorer academic functioning.
Materials and Methods
Participants
Data for the present analyses come from the Future of Families (named Fragile Families at the time of data collection) and Child Wellbeing Study (FFCWS; ffcws.princeton.edu), a longitudinal birth cohort oversampled for nonmarital births, which resulted in a greater proportion of racial/ethnic minority mothers and those of lower socioeconomic status and education level compared to the national US population. More details regarding the sample and design may be found elsewhere [40]. This study was conducted according to the guidelines established in the Declaration of Helsinki of 1975 (revised 1983), and all procedures involving human participants were approved by the Princeton University and Stony Brook University (CORIHS B; FWA #00000125) Institutional Review Boards. Written (for in-home interviews) or recorded verbal (for phone interviews) informed consent was obtained from primary caregivers (91% biological mother, 6% biological father, and 3% nonbiological parent), and assent was obtained from adolescents.
The research survey firm Westat® communicated with the participants, obtained informed consent, distributed the actigraphy devices, and compensated the participants. Westat paid participants through pre-paid gift cards sent through postal mail. Parents received $100 USD for completion of the one-time parent survey. Adolescents received $50 USD for completion of the one-time youth survey and $50 for wearing the actigraphy device.
The original FFCWS birth cohort consists of 4898 children born from 1998 to 2000 in 20 large US cities [41]. Families were recruited from local hospitals at the time of the child’s birth. Study staff maintained records about the participants and their families for follow-up at subsequent waves, when participants were approximately ages 1, 3, 5, 9, and 15 years of age. Families were eligible for inclusion in the year 15 follow-up wave if the child was alive, not legally adopted by another family, and participated in the year 9 wave. Data in the present cross-sectional analyses were collected from February 2014 to February 2016. During the year 15 wave of the FFCWS (wave 6), 3444 adolescents and their primary caregivers completed separate surveys querying household and demographic characteristics, administered either over the phone or in person at the participant’s place of residence. A randomly selected subsample (n = 1090) were asked to participate in a FFCWS sub-study [42]. Adolescents who assented to participation (n = 1049) were administered the survey and given wrist-worn accelerometers to measure sleep for seven consecutive days at their in-person interview. Out of 1049 assenting adolescents, n = 237 were excluded due to providing fewer than three valid nights of actigraphy recordings (refer to the “Wrist actigraphy” section; present sample M ± SD = 6.6 ± 2.0 nights per adolescent; range 3–16; interquartile range, IQR 5–8), n = 3 were excluded due to not providing complete demographic and household data, n = 27 were excluded due to not reporting grades for at least two of the four subjects, n = 0–7 were excluded due to not answering survey questions on academic functioning outcomes (number varies depending on the specific outcome), and n = 1 was excluded from SRI analyses only due to an invalid SRI, leaving a sample of n = 774–782 adolescents (73.8%–74.5% of the subsample; participant flow chart in Supplementary Figure S1). Sex, race/ethnicity, and income were not associated with missingness from the largest analytical sample of n = 782 versus the n = 1049 who assented to the sub-study (all p ≥ .05). Study method and results are reported following the Strengthening of the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) statement for cross-sectional studies in Supplementary Table S1 [43].
Materials and measures
Wrist actigraphy and nightly sleep predictors
Sleep measures were collected with a wrist-worn accelerometer with off-wrist detection (Actiwatch Spectrum; Philips-Respironics, Murrysville, PA), and study participants were asked to wear the watch on their nondominant wrist for 1 week. Accelerometer devices measure movements, from which patterns of sleep and wake may be estimated [44]. Device data were downloaded with Philips Actiware software (Version 6.0.4, Philips Respironics, 2017). At least two independent scorers (blinded to each other) determined cut-point (i.e., start and end time that define a 24-hour day), validity of days, and sleep intervals with a duration of ≥ 30 minutes using a validated procedure [45]. Differences between the scorers in the determination of the number of valid days, cut-point, number of sleep intervals, and any >15-minute differences in duration or wake after sleep onset for each recording were compared and adjudicated, with a third scorer adjudicating any remaining discrepancies. The scorers determined sleep intervals using a decrease in activity levels (medium-activity threshold of 40 activity counts/minutes) and the aid of light levels for sleep onset and offset [46], and a nighttime sleep interval was split into two intervals (main sleep and nap) if there was an awakening ≥ 1 hour during this interval. Sleep measures within the present study were based on data from the main nighttime sleep interval and did not include naps (except SRI, which was based on 24-hour sleep-wake patterns). No sleep intervals were set if the duration was less than 30 minutes. A sleep actigraphy day was determined invalid and no sleep interval was set if there were ≥ 4 total hours of off-wrist time, with the exception of the first and last day (device should have been worn at least 2 hours on the first day). Other invalidation criteria were constant false activity due to battery failure, data unable to be retrieved or recovered, or an off-wrist period of ≥ 60 minutes within 10 minutes of the scored beginning or end of the main sleep period for that day. Nights were excluded from present analyses if the adolescent had an all-nighter (i.e., no sleep interval was set within that 24-hour day; n = 2 days). The distribution of the month of actigraphic data collection per adolescent (first sleep period’s wake date/time) is presented in Supplementary Table S2.
Nighttime sleep onset and sleep offset were the person-average start and end of the main nighttime sleep interval (i.e., when an adolescent fell asleep at night and woke up the next morning, respectively) calculated in hours from midnight. Nighttime sleep duration was calculated as the person-average number of hours between sleep onset and sleep offset of the main nighttime sleep interval. Nighttime sleep maintenance efficiency represents the person-average percentage of sleep duration that the individual spent asleep during the main nighttime sleep interval and was calculated as 1−(WASO in hours / sleep duration in hours) and multiplied by 100 to produce a percentage [47–50]. The term “sleep maintenance efficiency” is used instead of the more common “sleep efficiency” due to exclusion of sleep onset latency in the calculation, which is typically represented in calculations of sleep efficiency. Variability in nighttime sleep duration, onset, and offset across the monitoring period were each represented by the person-standard deviation (SD) per adolescent. Another type of sleep variability was the SRI [51]. SRI was calculated per person based on the formula from Phillips et al. [51] from 24-hour sleep/wake patterns and ranges from 0 (low regularity) to 100 (high regularity). The score encapsulates within-person sleep patterns and represents the percentage probability that an individual is in the same state (sleeping or awake) at any two-time points 24 hours apart, averaged across all days. A score of 0 indicates the individual is sleeping and waking totally at random, whereas a score of 100 indicates the individual is sleeping and waking at exactly the same times each day.
Academic functioning outcomes
Academic functioning was assessed on the year 15 survey, which was administered once to adolescents and their primary caregivers in person.
Adolescents reported their academic performance as letter grades in the subjects of English, mathematics, history or social studies, and science with the question, “At the {most recent grading period/last grading period in the spring} what was your grade in …” with the answer options of “A” (1), “B” (2), “C” (3), “D or lower” (4), or “No grade or pass/fail” (5). The answer for each subject was recoded to correspond to a grade point average on the 0–4 scale, with A recoded to 4, B to 3, C to 2, and D or lower to 0.5 (representing the average between D and F). An answer of “5” was recoded as missing. Variables of interest included the odds of receiving a D or lower in any course; the percent of courses one received an A; and average GPA (0.5–4) across all four courses (Cronbach's alpha = .69).
Adolescents were also asked about behavioral academic functioning. Skipped school during the last school year was assessed with the question, “{During this school year/During the last school year}, did you ever skip school for a full day without an excuse?” Been suspended or expelled in the past 2 years was assessed with the question, “Have you been suspended or expelled from school in the past 2 years?” Both questions also had options “Yes” (1) and “No” (2), with “No” recoded to 0. Adolescents were also asked four questions related to general trouble in school modeled after questions in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) Wave I In-School Questionnaire. They were presented with the prompt, “{Since school started this year/During the last school year}, how often {have you had/did you have} trouble … Would you say never, sometimes, or often?” with the items “Paying attention in school,” “Getting along with your teachers,” “Getting your homework done,” and “Getting along with other students.” The answer options were “Never” (1), “Sometimes” (2), and “Often” (3), and a trouble in school score was calculated as the average across all four items (Cronbach's alpha = .62).
Covariates
Depressive and anxious symptoms were assessed on the adolescent survey through five items derived from the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale [52] and anxious symptoms were assessed through six items selected from the 18-item version of the Brief Symptom Inventory [53], both of which were created by the larger FFCWS team at Princeton University and Columbia University [42]. Adolescents selected their level of agreement with six statements expressing depressive or anxious symptoms: “strongly agree” (1) “somewhat agree” (2), “somewhat disagree” (3), and “strongly disagree” (4). A symptoms score was calculated as the average of item ratings (Cronbach's alpha: depressive symptoms = .76; anxious symptoms = .74) and reverse scored, with greater composite score indicating greater symptomology (i.e., 0 = strongly disagree, 3 = strongly agree).
Most demographic and household characteristics were reported on the year 15 adolescent or primary caregiver survey. Race/ethnicity was reported on the youth survey and grouped into exclusive categories of white/Caucasian (not Hispanic or Latino), black/African (not Hispanic or Latino), Hispanic and/or Latino (any race), or a category with other (including Asian, Central American/Caribbean, Native American/Alaska Native, and/or Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander), multi-racial, and no reported race/ethnicity (all not Hispanic or Latino). The adolescent’s living arrangements (living with biological mother and father; not living with biological mother and father) were also reported on the youth survey. Annual household income (in USD) and the primary caregiver’s highest education level (did not complete high school, completed high school, completed some college, or college graduate) were reported on the primary caregiver survey. Missing income values were imputed by the FFCWS staff at Princeton University through the Stata statistical software regression-based impute command with the following covariates: original sample city, total adults in the household, and primary caregiver age, years of education, race/ethnicity, earnings, immigrant status, employed last year, hours worked, welfare receipt, and marital status. Sex information was collected at birth, and age was reported at the in-person year 15 interview.
Statistical analyses
Analyses were conducted in SAS 9.4 software (SAS Institute, Cary, North Carolina). Most variables met standards for normality (skew < |3| and kurtosis < |10|) [54]. The SDs of sleep onset and offset were positively skewed (skew ≥ 3) and/or leptokurtotic (kurtosis ≥ 10) and were winsorized (i.e., values 3 SDs above or below the mean were replaced with the nearest value that was within 3 SDs of the mean). Of 782 adolescents in the largest analytical sample, 15 sleep onset SD values and 11 sleep offset SD values were winsorized, after which they also met criteria for normality.
Main analyses
We used bivariate Pearson correlations to test associations among the dimensions of sleep and academic functioning. Logistic (for binary outcomes) or linear (for continuous outcomes) regression models were used to test whether each dimension of sleep (sleep duration, sleep onset, sleep offset, sleep maintenance efficiency, SD-variability in sleep duration, SD-variability in sleep onset, SD-variability in sleep offset, and SRI) separately predicted each academic outcome. In addition to a linear term for sleep duration, we also included a quadratic term (sleep duration × sleep duration) within the same model to test whether curvilinear associations existed between sleep duration and academic functioning outcomes. Age, sex, race/ethnicity, household income, primary caregiver education level, adolescent living arrangements, depressive symptoms, anxious symptoms, and the number of courses for which letter grades were reported were included as covariates in all analyses. Adolescents reporting grades for fewer than two courses (n = 27) were excluded from all analyses. Alpha < .05 (two-sided) was deemed statistically significant. Adjusted p-values were calculated within each set of similar sleep and academic measures based on the Benjamini-Hochberg adaptive false discovery rate (aFDR) [55] and presented in Supplementary Material.
Sensitivity and supplementary analyses
In sensitivity analyses, all models were further adjusted for the per-person percentage of nighttime actigraphy recordings that preceded a nonschool day (range: 0%–100%), defined as a wake day that was Saturday or Sunday, during the month of July or August, a federal holiday, the day after Thanksgiving, and/or during the winter break taken by most US schools. Supplementary analyses examined whether free night catch-up sleep (average sleep duration on nonschool nights − average sleep duration on school nights) and social jetlag, a misalignment of sleep timing on school versus nonschool nights (| average sleep midpoint on nonschool nights − average sleep midpoint on school nights | [34]), predicted academic outcomes. Only adolescents with at least one school and nonschool actigraphy night each were included, resulting in n = 568–572 adolescents in free night catch-up sleep and social jetlag analyses.
Results
Participant characteristics
The analytical sample ranged from 774 to 782 depending on the outcome. In n = 782, 52% (n = 405) were female with a mean age ± SD of 15.4 ± 0.6 years (range 15.0–18.0). Ethnoracial composition of the full sample was 45% black/African American (n = 352), 26% Hispanic or Latino (n = 201), 16% white/Caucasian (n = 126), and 13% other, multi-racial, or none (n = 103). Other sample information, including descriptive statistics for sleep variables, academic functioning outcomes, and covariates, is in Table 1. Refer to Supplementary Table S3 for correlations among types of sleep variability and Supplementary Table S4 for associations among aspects of academic functioning.
Variable . | n . | Min–max . | Mean or % . | (SD or n) . | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Demographic and household characteristics | |||||
Age | 782 | 15.00–18.00 | 15.35 | (0.56) | |
Sex (female)a | 782 | — | 51.8 | % | (405) |
Race/ethnicity | 782 | — | |||
Black/African American | 782 | — | 45.0 | % | (352) |
Hispanic and/or Latino | 782 | — | 25.7 | % | (201) |
White/Caucasian | 782 | — | 16.1 | % | (126) |
Other,b multi-racial, or none | 13.2 | % | (103) | ||
Household incomec | 782 | $0–$530 000 | $60 442 | ($59 306) | |
Primary caregiver’s education level | |||||
Did not graduate high school | 782 | — | 17.1 | % | (134) |
Completed high school | 782 | — | 17.9 | % | (140) |
Completed some college | 782 | — | 45.5 | % | (356) |
Graduated from college | 782 | — | 19.4 | % | (152) |
Lives with biological mother and father | 782 | — | 29.4 | % | (230) |
Emotional health | |||||
Depressive symptoms (CES-D score)d | 782 | 0.00–3.00 | 0.61 | (0.59) | |
Anxious symptoms (BSI-18 score)e | 782 | 0.00–3.00 | 0.81 | (0.62) | |
Nighttime sleep % nonschool nights | 0–100.00 | 49.08 | (31.50) | ||
Dimensions of nighttime sleep | |||||
Sleep duration (hours) | 782 | 4.22–12.18 | 7.75 | (1.01) | |
Sleep onset | 782 | 16:30–06:19 | 0:30 | (1:40) | |
Sleep offset | 782 | 04:03–16:08 | 8:20 | (1:45) | |
Sleep maintenance efficiency % | 782 | 75.86–96.80 | 90.71 | (2.93) | |
Variability in sleep duration (SD-hours) | 782 | 0.20–5.40 | 1.64 | (0.80) | |
Variability in sleep onset (SD-hours) | 782 | 0.09–3.58 | 1.35 | (0.71) | |
Variability in sleep offset (SD-hours) | 782 | 0.00–4.64 | 1.60 | (0.89) | |
Sleep regularity indexf | 781 | 4.86–82.85 | 48.00 | (13.60) | |
Academic functioningg | |||||
Received a D or lower in any course | 782 | — | 21.2 | % | (166) |
Percent of courses received an A | 782 | 0.00–100.00 | 29.22 | (31.25) | |
Average GPAh | 782 | 0.50–4.00 | 2.85 | (0.73) | |
Skipped school during last school year | 780 | — | 11.9 | % | (93) |
Was suspended/expelled in the past 2 years | 778 | — | 25.3 | % | (197) |
Trouble in school scale (average score)i | 775 | 1.00–3.00 | 1.82 | (0.47) |
Variable . | n . | Min–max . | Mean or % . | (SD or n) . | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Demographic and household characteristics | |||||
Age | 782 | 15.00–18.00 | 15.35 | (0.56) | |
Sex (female)a | 782 | — | 51.8 | % | (405) |
Race/ethnicity | 782 | — | |||
Black/African American | 782 | — | 45.0 | % | (352) |
Hispanic and/or Latino | 782 | — | 25.7 | % | (201) |
White/Caucasian | 782 | — | 16.1 | % | (126) |
Other,b multi-racial, or none | 13.2 | % | (103) | ||
Household incomec | 782 | $0–$530 000 | $60 442 | ($59 306) | |
Primary caregiver’s education level | |||||
Did not graduate high school | 782 | — | 17.1 | % | (134) |
Completed high school | 782 | — | 17.9 | % | (140) |
Completed some college | 782 | — | 45.5 | % | (356) |
Graduated from college | 782 | — | 19.4 | % | (152) |
Lives with biological mother and father | 782 | — | 29.4 | % | (230) |
Emotional health | |||||
Depressive symptoms (CES-D score)d | 782 | 0.00–3.00 | 0.61 | (0.59) | |
Anxious symptoms (BSI-18 score)e | 782 | 0.00–3.00 | 0.81 | (0.62) | |
Nighttime sleep % nonschool nights | 0–100.00 | 49.08 | (31.50) | ||
Dimensions of nighttime sleep | |||||
Sleep duration (hours) | 782 | 4.22–12.18 | 7.75 | (1.01) | |
Sleep onset | 782 | 16:30–06:19 | 0:30 | (1:40) | |
Sleep offset | 782 | 04:03–16:08 | 8:20 | (1:45) | |
Sleep maintenance efficiency % | 782 | 75.86–96.80 | 90.71 | (2.93) | |
Variability in sleep duration (SD-hours) | 782 | 0.20–5.40 | 1.64 | (0.80) | |
Variability in sleep onset (SD-hours) | 782 | 0.09–3.58 | 1.35 | (0.71) | |
Variability in sleep offset (SD-hours) | 782 | 0.00–4.64 | 1.60 | (0.89) | |
Sleep regularity indexf | 781 | 4.86–82.85 | 48.00 | (13.60) | |
Academic functioningg | |||||
Received a D or lower in any course | 782 | — | 21.2 | % | (166) |
Percent of courses received an A | 782 | 0.00–100.00 | 29.22 | (31.25) | |
Average GPAh | 782 | 0.50–4.00 | 2.85 | (0.73) | |
Skipped school during last school year | 780 | — | 11.9 | % | (93) |
Was suspended/expelled in the past 2 years | 778 | — | 25.3 | % | (197) |
Trouble in school scale (average score)i | 775 | 1.00–3.00 | 1.82 | (0.47) |
Sleep was measured with nightly actigraphy (mean number of valid actigraphy nights per youth was 6.6 ± 2.0, range 3–16). Academic functioning was reported on a one-time year 15 survey administered to adolescents.
aData collected at birth.
bAsian, Central American/Caribbean, Native American/Alaska Native, and/or Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander.
cMissing values imputed by the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study staff at Princeton University through the Stata statistical software regression-based impute command with covariates original sample city, total adults in the household, and primary caregiver age, years of education, race/ethnicity, earnings, immigrant status, employed last year, hours worked, welfare receipt, and marital status.
dBased on Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression score; ranges from 0 (low) to 3 (high) [52]; Cronbach’s alpha = .76.
eBased on 18-item Brief Symptom Inventory score; ranges from 0 (low) to 3 (high) [53]; Cronbach’s alpha = 74.
fCalculated based on formula from Phillips et al.; ranges from 0 (low) to 100 (high) [51]. Includes 24-hour sleep.
gCalculated from reported grades in English, mathematics, history or social studies, and science.
hAverage of letter grades across courses, where A = 4, B = 3, C = 2, and D or F = 0.5; Cronbach’s alpha = .69.
iItems in scale modeled after questions in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) Wave I In-School Questionnaire. Includes trouble "paying attention,” “getting along with teachers,” “getting homework done,” and “getting along with other students”; ranges from 1 (low) to 3 (high); Cronbach’s alpha = .62.
BSI-18, Brief Symptom Inventory-18; CES-D, Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale; GPA, grade point average; max, maximum; min, minimum; n, number in sample; SD, standard deviation.
Variable . | n . | Min–max . | Mean or % . | (SD or n) . | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Demographic and household characteristics | |||||
Age | 782 | 15.00–18.00 | 15.35 | (0.56) | |
Sex (female)a | 782 | — | 51.8 | % | (405) |
Race/ethnicity | 782 | — | |||
Black/African American | 782 | — | 45.0 | % | (352) |
Hispanic and/or Latino | 782 | — | 25.7 | % | (201) |
White/Caucasian | 782 | — | 16.1 | % | (126) |
Other,b multi-racial, or none | 13.2 | % | (103) | ||
Household incomec | 782 | $0–$530 000 | $60 442 | ($59 306) | |
Primary caregiver’s education level | |||||
Did not graduate high school | 782 | — | 17.1 | % | (134) |
Completed high school | 782 | — | 17.9 | % | (140) |
Completed some college | 782 | — | 45.5 | % | (356) |
Graduated from college | 782 | — | 19.4 | % | (152) |
Lives with biological mother and father | 782 | — | 29.4 | % | (230) |
Emotional health | |||||
Depressive symptoms (CES-D score)d | 782 | 0.00–3.00 | 0.61 | (0.59) | |
Anxious symptoms (BSI-18 score)e | 782 | 0.00–3.00 | 0.81 | (0.62) | |
Nighttime sleep % nonschool nights | 0–100.00 | 49.08 | (31.50) | ||
Dimensions of nighttime sleep | |||||
Sleep duration (hours) | 782 | 4.22–12.18 | 7.75 | (1.01) | |
Sleep onset | 782 | 16:30–06:19 | 0:30 | (1:40) | |
Sleep offset | 782 | 04:03–16:08 | 8:20 | (1:45) | |
Sleep maintenance efficiency % | 782 | 75.86–96.80 | 90.71 | (2.93) | |
Variability in sleep duration (SD-hours) | 782 | 0.20–5.40 | 1.64 | (0.80) | |
Variability in sleep onset (SD-hours) | 782 | 0.09–3.58 | 1.35 | (0.71) | |
Variability in sleep offset (SD-hours) | 782 | 0.00–4.64 | 1.60 | (0.89) | |
Sleep regularity indexf | 781 | 4.86–82.85 | 48.00 | (13.60) | |
Academic functioningg | |||||
Received a D or lower in any course | 782 | — | 21.2 | % | (166) |
Percent of courses received an A | 782 | 0.00–100.00 | 29.22 | (31.25) | |
Average GPAh | 782 | 0.50–4.00 | 2.85 | (0.73) | |
Skipped school during last school year | 780 | — | 11.9 | % | (93) |
Was suspended/expelled in the past 2 years | 778 | — | 25.3 | % | (197) |
Trouble in school scale (average score)i | 775 | 1.00–3.00 | 1.82 | (0.47) |
Variable . | n . | Min–max . | Mean or % . | (SD or n) . | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Demographic and household characteristics | |||||
Age | 782 | 15.00–18.00 | 15.35 | (0.56) | |
Sex (female)a | 782 | — | 51.8 | % | (405) |
Race/ethnicity | 782 | — | |||
Black/African American | 782 | — | 45.0 | % | (352) |
Hispanic and/or Latino | 782 | — | 25.7 | % | (201) |
White/Caucasian | 782 | — | 16.1 | % | (126) |
Other,b multi-racial, or none | 13.2 | % | (103) | ||
Household incomec | 782 | $0–$530 000 | $60 442 | ($59 306) | |
Primary caregiver’s education level | |||||
Did not graduate high school | 782 | — | 17.1 | % | (134) |
Completed high school | 782 | — | 17.9 | % | (140) |
Completed some college | 782 | — | 45.5 | % | (356) |
Graduated from college | 782 | — | 19.4 | % | (152) |
Lives with biological mother and father | 782 | — | 29.4 | % | (230) |
Emotional health | |||||
Depressive symptoms (CES-D score)d | 782 | 0.00–3.00 | 0.61 | (0.59) | |
Anxious symptoms (BSI-18 score)e | 782 | 0.00–3.00 | 0.81 | (0.62) | |
Nighttime sleep % nonschool nights | 0–100.00 | 49.08 | (31.50) | ||
Dimensions of nighttime sleep | |||||
Sleep duration (hours) | 782 | 4.22–12.18 | 7.75 | (1.01) | |
Sleep onset | 782 | 16:30–06:19 | 0:30 | (1:40) | |
Sleep offset | 782 | 04:03–16:08 | 8:20 | (1:45) | |
Sleep maintenance efficiency % | 782 | 75.86–96.80 | 90.71 | (2.93) | |
Variability in sleep duration (SD-hours) | 782 | 0.20–5.40 | 1.64 | (0.80) | |
Variability in sleep onset (SD-hours) | 782 | 0.09–3.58 | 1.35 | (0.71) | |
Variability in sleep offset (SD-hours) | 782 | 0.00–4.64 | 1.60 | (0.89) | |
Sleep regularity indexf | 781 | 4.86–82.85 | 48.00 | (13.60) | |
Academic functioningg | |||||
Received a D or lower in any course | 782 | — | 21.2 | % | (166) |
Percent of courses received an A | 782 | 0.00–100.00 | 29.22 | (31.25) | |
Average GPAh | 782 | 0.50–4.00 | 2.85 | (0.73) | |
Skipped school during last school year | 780 | — | 11.9 | % | (93) |
Was suspended/expelled in the past 2 years | 778 | — | 25.3 | % | (197) |
Trouble in school scale (average score)i | 775 | 1.00–3.00 | 1.82 | (0.47) |
Sleep was measured with nightly actigraphy (mean number of valid actigraphy nights per youth was 6.6 ± 2.0, range 3–16). Academic functioning was reported on a one-time year 15 survey administered to adolescents.
aData collected at birth.
bAsian, Central American/Caribbean, Native American/Alaska Native, and/or Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander.
cMissing values imputed by the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study staff at Princeton University through the Stata statistical software regression-based impute command with covariates original sample city, total adults in the household, and primary caregiver age, years of education, race/ethnicity, earnings, immigrant status, employed last year, hours worked, welfare receipt, and marital status.
dBased on Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression score; ranges from 0 (low) to 3 (high) [52]; Cronbach’s alpha = .76.
eBased on 18-item Brief Symptom Inventory score; ranges from 0 (low) to 3 (high) [53]; Cronbach’s alpha = 74.
fCalculated based on formula from Phillips et al.; ranges from 0 (low) to 100 (high) [51]. Includes 24-hour sleep.
gCalculated from reported grades in English, mathematics, history or social studies, and science.
hAverage of letter grades across courses, where A = 4, B = 3, C = 2, and D or F = 0.5; Cronbach’s alpha = .69.
iItems in scale modeled after questions in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) Wave I In-School Questionnaire. Includes trouble "paying attention,” “getting along with teachers,” “getting homework done,” and “getting along with other students”; ranges from 1 (low) to 3 (high); Cronbach’s alpha = .62.
BSI-18, Brief Symptom Inventory-18; CES-D, Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale; GPA, grade point average; max, maximum; min, minimum; n, number in sample; SD, standard deviation.
Associations of dimensions of sleep with academic performance
Greater variability (SD-hours) in sleep onset was associated with higher odds of receiving a D or lower in any course (OR = 1.29, p = .040; refer to Figure 1 and Table 2). Later sleep onset (b = −1.39, β = −.07, p = .029) and offset (b = −1.49, β = −.08, p = .014) and greater variability in sleep duration (b = −2.96, β = −.08, p = .028) were associated with lower percent of courses in which one received an A grade. Later sleep offset (b = −0.03, β = −.07, p = .033) was associated with lower average GPA. There were no other significant associations between dimensions of sleep and academic performance (p ≥ .10; refer to Supplementary Table S5 for aFDR-adjusted p-values). Sensitivity analyses adjusting for percentage of nonschool actigraphy nights yielded similar results (Supplementary Table S6). In supplementary analyses, greater free night catch-up sleep was associated with lower odds of receiving a D or lower in any course (OR = 0.88, p = .030; refer to Supplementary Table S7 for full results).
Nighttime Sleep Dimensions Predicting Adolescent Academic Functioning (n = 774–782)
Binary outcomes . | . | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nighttime sleep predictor . | n . | OR . | [95% CI OR] . | β . | p . | . |
Academic outcome: odds of receiving D or lower in any course | ||||||
Sleep duration (hours), linear | 782 | 0.99 | [0.84, 1.18] | — | .951 | |
Sleep duration (hours), quadratica | 782 | 1.06 | [0.97, 1.17] | — | .200 | |
Sleep onset (midnight-centered hours) | 782 | 1.06 | [0.96, 1.18] | — | .252 | |
Sleep offset (midnight-centered hours) | 782 | 1.07 | [0.97, 1.18] | — | .153 | |
Sleep maintenance efficiency % | 782 | 1.01 | [0.95, 1.08] | — | .647 | |
Variability in sleep duration (SD-hours) | 782 | 1.12 | [0.90, 1.40] | — | .309 | |
Variability in sleep onset (SD-hours) | 782 | 1.29 | [1.01, 1.64] | — | .040 | * |
Variability in sleep offset (SD-hours) | 782 | 1.09 | [0.90, 1.33] | — | .365 | |
Sleep regularity indexb | 781 | 0.99 | [0.98, 1.01] | — | .442 | |
Academic outcome: odds of skipping school during last school year | ||||||
Sleep duration (hours), linear | 780 | 1.12 | [0.89, 1.40] | — | .324 | |
Sleep duration (hours), quadratica | 780 | 0.99 | [0.87, 1.12] | — | .839 | |
Sleep onset (midnight-centered hours) | 780 | 1.08 | [0.95, 1.23] | — | .258 | |
Sleep offset (midnight-centered hours) | 780 | 1.10 | [0.97, 1.24] | — | .140 | |
Sleep maintenance efficiency % | 780 | 1.02 | [0.94, 1.10] | — | .656 | |
Variability in sleep duration (SD-hours) | 780 | 1.15 | [0.88, 1.49] | — | .309 | |
Variability in sleep onset (SD-hours) | 780 | 1.26 | [0.94, 1.70] | — | .128 | |
Variability in sleep offset (SD-hours) | 780 | 1.04 | [0.81, 1.32] | — | .779 | |
Sleep regularity indexb | 779 | 0.99 | [0.98, 1.01] | — | .388 | |
Academic outcome: odds of being suspended or expelled in past 2 years | ||||||
Sleep duration (hours), linear | 778 | 1.14 | [0.96, 1.35] | — | .125 | |
Sleep duration (hours), quadratica | 778 | 1.08 | [0.98, 1.19] | — | .110 | |
Sleep onset (midnight-centered hours) | 778 | 1.06 | [0.96, 1.17] | — | .270 | |
Sleep offset (midnight-centered hours) | 778 | 1.11 | [1.01, 1.22] | — | .034 | * |
Sleep maintenance efficiency % | 778 | 0.98 | [0.92, 1.04] | — | .503 | |
Variability in sleep duration (SD-hours) | 778 | 1.31 | [1.06, 1.62] | — | .012 | * |
Variability in sleep onset (SD-hours) | 778 | 1.42 | [1.12, 1.80] | — | .004 | ** |
Variability in sleep offset (SD-hours) | 778 | 1.13 | [0.94, 1.37] | — | .190 | |
Sleep regularity indexb | 777 | 0.99 | [0.98, 1.00] | — | .197 | |
Continuous outcomes . | . | |||||
Nighttime sleep predictor . | n . | b . | [95% CI b] . | β . | p . | . |
Academic outcome: percent of courses received an A | ||||||
Sleep duration (hours), linear | 782 | −11.84 | [−30.98, 7.30] | −.38 | .225 | |
Sleep duration (hours), quadratica | 782 | 0.68 | [−0.54, 1.90] | .35 | .275 | |
Sleep onset (midnight-centered hours) | 782 | −1.39 | [−2.64, −0.14] | −.07 | .029 | * |
Sleep offset (midnight-centered hours) | 782 | −1.49 | [−2.68, −0.30] | −.08 | .014 | * |
Sleep maintenance efficiency % | 782 | 0.21 | [−0.51, 0.92] | .02 | .567 | |
Variability in sleep duration (SD-hours) | 782 | −2.96 | [−5.61, −0.31] | −.08 | .028 | * |
Variability in sleep onset (SD-hours) | 782 | −1.77 | [−4.74, 1.20] | −.04 | .242 | |
Variability in sleep offset (SD-hours) | 782 | −0.87 | [−3.23, 1.49] | −.02 | .468 | |
Sleep regularity indexb | 781 | 0.13 | [−0.03, 0.28] | .05 | .114 | |
Academic outcome: average GPAc | ||||||
Sleep duration (hours), linear | 782 | −0.03 | [−0.48, 0.41] | −.05 | .878 | |
Sleep duration (hours), quadratica | 782 | <0.01 | [−0.03, 0.03] | .03 | .935 | |
Sleep onset (midnight-centered hours) | 782 | −0.03 | [−0.06, <0.01] | −.06 | .070 | † |
Continuous outcomes . | . | |||||
Nighttime sleep predictor . | n . | OR . | [95% CI OR] . | β . | p . | . |
Sleep offset (midnight-centered hours) | 782 | −0.03 | [−0.06,<0.01] | −.07 | .033 | * |
Sleep maintenance efficiency % | 782 | <0.01 | [−0.02,0.02] | .01 | .877 | |
Variability in sleep duration (SD-hours) | 782 | −0.05 | [−0.11,0.01] | −.06 | .095 | † |
Variability in sleep onset (SD-hours) | 782 | −0.06 | [−0.13,0.01] | −.06 | .094 | † |
Variability in sleep offset (SD-hours) | 782 | −0.02 | [−0.08,0.03] | −.03 | .403 | |
Sleep regularity indexb | 781 | <0.01 | [<0.01,0.01] | .03 | .389 | |
Academic outcome: trouble in school scale (average score)d | ||||||
Sleep duration (hours), linear | 775 | −0.04 | [−0.33,0.25] | −.09 | .779 | |
Sleep duration (hours), quadratica | 775 | <0.01 | [−0.02,0.02] | .09 | .785 | |
Sleep onset (midnight-centered hours) | 775 | 0.01 | [−0.01,0.03] | .03 | .314 | |
Sleep offset (midnight-centered hours) | 775 | 0.01 | [−0.01,0.03] | .05 | .156 | |
Sleep maintenance efficiency % | 775 | 0.01 | [−0.01,0.02] | .04 | .302 | |
Variability in sleep duration (SD-hours) | 775 | 0.08 | [0.04,0.12] | .13 | <.001 | *** |
Variability in sleep onset (SD-hours) | 775 | 0.04 | [−0.01,0.08] | .06 | .091 | † |
Variability in sleep offset (SD-hours) | 775 | 0.01 | [−0.03,0.05] | .02 | .562 | |
Sleep regularity indexb | 774 | <0.01 | [<0.01,<0.01] | −.06 | .103 |
Binary outcomes . | . | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nighttime sleep predictor . | n . | OR . | [95% CI OR] . | β . | p . | . |
Academic outcome: odds of receiving D or lower in any course | ||||||
Sleep duration (hours), linear | 782 | 0.99 | [0.84, 1.18] | — | .951 | |
Sleep duration (hours), quadratica | 782 | 1.06 | [0.97, 1.17] | — | .200 | |
Sleep onset (midnight-centered hours) | 782 | 1.06 | [0.96, 1.18] | — | .252 | |
Sleep offset (midnight-centered hours) | 782 | 1.07 | [0.97, 1.18] | — | .153 | |
Sleep maintenance efficiency % | 782 | 1.01 | [0.95, 1.08] | — | .647 | |
Variability in sleep duration (SD-hours) | 782 | 1.12 | [0.90, 1.40] | — | .309 | |
Variability in sleep onset (SD-hours) | 782 | 1.29 | [1.01, 1.64] | — | .040 | * |
Variability in sleep offset (SD-hours) | 782 | 1.09 | [0.90, 1.33] | — | .365 | |
Sleep regularity indexb | 781 | 0.99 | [0.98, 1.01] | — | .442 | |
Academic outcome: odds of skipping school during last school year | ||||||
Sleep duration (hours), linear | 780 | 1.12 | [0.89, 1.40] | — | .324 | |
Sleep duration (hours), quadratica | 780 | 0.99 | [0.87, 1.12] | — | .839 | |
Sleep onset (midnight-centered hours) | 780 | 1.08 | [0.95, 1.23] | — | .258 | |
Sleep offset (midnight-centered hours) | 780 | 1.10 | [0.97, 1.24] | — | .140 | |
Sleep maintenance efficiency % | 780 | 1.02 | [0.94, 1.10] | — | .656 | |
Variability in sleep duration (SD-hours) | 780 | 1.15 | [0.88, 1.49] | — | .309 | |
Variability in sleep onset (SD-hours) | 780 | 1.26 | [0.94, 1.70] | — | .128 | |
Variability in sleep offset (SD-hours) | 780 | 1.04 | [0.81, 1.32] | — | .779 | |
Sleep regularity indexb | 779 | 0.99 | [0.98, 1.01] | — | .388 | |
Academic outcome: odds of being suspended or expelled in past 2 years | ||||||
Sleep duration (hours), linear | 778 | 1.14 | [0.96, 1.35] | — | .125 | |
Sleep duration (hours), quadratica | 778 | 1.08 | [0.98, 1.19] | — | .110 | |
Sleep onset (midnight-centered hours) | 778 | 1.06 | [0.96, 1.17] | — | .270 | |
Sleep offset (midnight-centered hours) | 778 | 1.11 | [1.01, 1.22] | — | .034 | * |
Sleep maintenance efficiency % | 778 | 0.98 | [0.92, 1.04] | — | .503 | |
Variability in sleep duration (SD-hours) | 778 | 1.31 | [1.06, 1.62] | — | .012 | * |
Variability in sleep onset (SD-hours) | 778 | 1.42 | [1.12, 1.80] | — | .004 | ** |
Variability in sleep offset (SD-hours) | 778 | 1.13 | [0.94, 1.37] | — | .190 | |
Sleep regularity indexb | 777 | 0.99 | [0.98, 1.00] | — | .197 | |
Continuous outcomes . | . | |||||
Nighttime sleep predictor . | n . | b . | [95% CI b] . | β . | p . | . |
Academic outcome: percent of courses received an A | ||||||
Sleep duration (hours), linear | 782 | −11.84 | [−30.98, 7.30] | −.38 | .225 | |
Sleep duration (hours), quadratica | 782 | 0.68 | [−0.54, 1.90] | .35 | .275 | |
Sleep onset (midnight-centered hours) | 782 | −1.39 | [−2.64, −0.14] | −.07 | .029 | * |
Sleep offset (midnight-centered hours) | 782 | −1.49 | [−2.68, −0.30] | −.08 | .014 | * |
Sleep maintenance efficiency % | 782 | 0.21 | [−0.51, 0.92] | .02 | .567 | |
Variability in sleep duration (SD-hours) | 782 | −2.96 | [−5.61, −0.31] | −.08 | .028 | * |
Variability in sleep onset (SD-hours) | 782 | −1.77 | [−4.74, 1.20] | −.04 | .242 | |
Variability in sleep offset (SD-hours) | 782 | −0.87 | [−3.23, 1.49] | −.02 | .468 | |
Sleep regularity indexb | 781 | 0.13 | [−0.03, 0.28] | .05 | .114 | |
Academic outcome: average GPAc | ||||||
Sleep duration (hours), linear | 782 | −0.03 | [−0.48, 0.41] | −.05 | .878 | |
Sleep duration (hours), quadratica | 782 | <0.01 | [−0.03, 0.03] | .03 | .935 | |
Sleep onset (midnight-centered hours) | 782 | −0.03 | [−0.06, <0.01] | −.06 | .070 | † |
Continuous outcomes . | . | |||||
Nighttime sleep predictor . | n . | OR . | [95% CI OR] . | β . | p . | . |
Sleep offset (midnight-centered hours) | 782 | −0.03 | [−0.06,<0.01] | −.07 | .033 | * |
Sleep maintenance efficiency % | 782 | <0.01 | [−0.02,0.02] | .01 | .877 | |
Variability in sleep duration (SD-hours) | 782 | −0.05 | [−0.11,0.01] | −.06 | .095 | † |
Variability in sleep onset (SD-hours) | 782 | −0.06 | [−0.13,0.01] | −.06 | .094 | † |
Variability in sleep offset (SD-hours) | 782 | −0.02 | [−0.08,0.03] | −.03 | .403 | |
Sleep regularity indexb | 781 | <0.01 | [<0.01,0.01] | .03 | .389 | |
Academic outcome: trouble in school scale (average score)d | ||||||
Sleep duration (hours), linear | 775 | −0.04 | [−0.33,0.25] | −.09 | .779 | |
Sleep duration (hours), quadratica | 775 | <0.01 | [−0.02,0.02] | .09 | .785 | |
Sleep onset (midnight-centered hours) | 775 | 0.01 | [−0.01,0.03] | .03 | .314 | |
Sleep offset (midnight-centered hours) | 775 | 0.01 | [−0.01,0.03] | .05 | .156 | |
Sleep maintenance efficiency % | 775 | 0.01 | [−0.01,0.02] | .04 | .302 | |
Variability in sleep duration (SD-hours) | 775 | 0.08 | [0.04,0.12] | .13 | <.001 | *** |
Variability in sleep onset (SD-hours) | 775 | 0.04 | [−0.01,0.08] | .06 | .091 | † |
Variability in sleep offset (SD-hours) | 775 | 0.01 | [−0.03,0.05] | .02 | .562 | |
Sleep regularity indexb | 774 | <0.01 | [<0.01,<0.01] | −.06 | .103 |
Each row represents a separate regression model (linear or logistic) adjusted for the number of course grades reported, age, birth sex, race/ethnicity, household income, the primary caregiver’s education level, the adolescent’s living arrangements, depressive symptoms, and anxious symptoms. Sleep was measured with nightly actigraphy (mean number of valid actigraphy nights per youth was 6.6 ± 2.0, range 3–16). Academic functioning was reported on a one-time year 15 survey administered to adolescents. Academic performance (letter grades and average GPA) was calculated from reported grades during the last grading period in English, mathematics, history or social studies, and science.
aWithin the same model as sleep duration (hours), linear.
bCalculated based on formula from Phillips et al.; ranges from 0 (low)–100 (high) [51]. Includes 24-hour sleep.
cAverage of letter grades across courses, where A = 4, B = 3, C = 2, and D or F = 0.5; Cronbach’s alpha = .69.
dItems in scale modeled after questions in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) Wave I In-School Questionnaire. Includes trouble "paying attention,” “getting along with teachers,” “getting homework done,” and “getting along with other students”; ranges from 1 (low) – 3 (high); Cronbach’s alpha = .62.
b, unstandardized beta; β, standardized beta; CI, confidence interval; GPA, grade point average; n, number; OR, odds ratio; p, significance level; SD, standard deviation.
†p < .10, *p < .05, **p < .01, ***p < .001, two-tailed.
Nighttime Sleep Dimensions Predicting Adolescent Academic Functioning (n = 774–782)
Binary outcomes . | . | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nighttime sleep predictor . | n . | OR . | [95% CI OR] . | β . | p . | . |
Academic outcome: odds of receiving D or lower in any course | ||||||
Sleep duration (hours), linear | 782 | 0.99 | [0.84, 1.18] | — | .951 | |
Sleep duration (hours), quadratica | 782 | 1.06 | [0.97, 1.17] | — | .200 | |
Sleep onset (midnight-centered hours) | 782 | 1.06 | [0.96, 1.18] | — | .252 | |
Sleep offset (midnight-centered hours) | 782 | 1.07 | [0.97, 1.18] | — | .153 | |
Sleep maintenance efficiency % | 782 | 1.01 | [0.95, 1.08] | — | .647 | |
Variability in sleep duration (SD-hours) | 782 | 1.12 | [0.90, 1.40] | — | .309 | |
Variability in sleep onset (SD-hours) | 782 | 1.29 | [1.01, 1.64] | — | .040 | * |
Variability in sleep offset (SD-hours) | 782 | 1.09 | [0.90, 1.33] | — | .365 | |
Sleep regularity indexb | 781 | 0.99 | [0.98, 1.01] | — | .442 | |
Academic outcome: odds of skipping school during last school year | ||||||
Sleep duration (hours), linear | 780 | 1.12 | [0.89, 1.40] | — | .324 | |
Sleep duration (hours), quadratica | 780 | 0.99 | [0.87, 1.12] | — | .839 | |
Sleep onset (midnight-centered hours) | 780 | 1.08 | [0.95, 1.23] | — | .258 | |
Sleep offset (midnight-centered hours) | 780 | 1.10 | [0.97, 1.24] | — | .140 | |
Sleep maintenance efficiency % | 780 | 1.02 | [0.94, 1.10] | — | .656 | |
Variability in sleep duration (SD-hours) | 780 | 1.15 | [0.88, 1.49] | — | .309 | |
Variability in sleep onset (SD-hours) | 780 | 1.26 | [0.94, 1.70] | — | .128 | |
Variability in sleep offset (SD-hours) | 780 | 1.04 | [0.81, 1.32] | — | .779 | |
Sleep regularity indexb | 779 | 0.99 | [0.98, 1.01] | — | .388 | |
Academic outcome: odds of being suspended or expelled in past 2 years | ||||||
Sleep duration (hours), linear | 778 | 1.14 | [0.96, 1.35] | — | .125 | |
Sleep duration (hours), quadratica | 778 | 1.08 | [0.98, 1.19] | — | .110 | |
Sleep onset (midnight-centered hours) | 778 | 1.06 | [0.96, 1.17] | — | .270 | |
Sleep offset (midnight-centered hours) | 778 | 1.11 | [1.01, 1.22] | — | .034 | * |
Sleep maintenance efficiency % | 778 | 0.98 | [0.92, 1.04] | — | .503 | |
Variability in sleep duration (SD-hours) | 778 | 1.31 | [1.06, 1.62] | — | .012 | * |
Variability in sleep onset (SD-hours) | 778 | 1.42 | [1.12, 1.80] | — | .004 | ** |
Variability in sleep offset (SD-hours) | 778 | 1.13 | [0.94, 1.37] | — | .190 | |
Sleep regularity indexb | 777 | 0.99 | [0.98, 1.00] | — | .197 | |
Continuous outcomes . | . | |||||
Nighttime sleep predictor . | n . | b . | [95% CI b] . | β . | p . | . |
Academic outcome: percent of courses received an A | ||||||
Sleep duration (hours), linear | 782 | −11.84 | [−30.98, 7.30] | −.38 | .225 | |
Sleep duration (hours), quadratica | 782 | 0.68 | [−0.54, 1.90] | .35 | .275 | |
Sleep onset (midnight-centered hours) | 782 | −1.39 | [−2.64, −0.14] | −.07 | .029 | * |
Sleep offset (midnight-centered hours) | 782 | −1.49 | [−2.68, −0.30] | −.08 | .014 | * |
Sleep maintenance efficiency % | 782 | 0.21 | [−0.51, 0.92] | .02 | .567 | |
Variability in sleep duration (SD-hours) | 782 | −2.96 | [−5.61, −0.31] | −.08 | .028 | * |
Variability in sleep onset (SD-hours) | 782 | −1.77 | [−4.74, 1.20] | −.04 | .242 | |
Variability in sleep offset (SD-hours) | 782 | −0.87 | [−3.23, 1.49] | −.02 | .468 | |
Sleep regularity indexb | 781 | 0.13 | [−0.03, 0.28] | .05 | .114 | |
Academic outcome: average GPAc | ||||||
Sleep duration (hours), linear | 782 | −0.03 | [−0.48, 0.41] | −.05 | .878 | |
Sleep duration (hours), quadratica | 782 | <0.01 | [−0.03, 0.03] | .03 | .935 | |
Sleep onset (midnight-centered hours) | 782 | −0.03 | [−0.06, <0.01] | −.06 | .070 | † |
Continuous outcomes . | . | |||||
Nighttime sleep predictor . | n . | OR . | [95% CI OR] . | β . | p . | . |
Sleep offset (midnight-centered hours) | 782 | −0.03 | [−0.06,<0.01] | −.07 | .033 | * |
Sleep maintenance efficiency % | 782 | <0.01 | [−0.02,0.02] | .01 | .877 | |
Variability in sleep duration (SD-hours) | 782 | −0.05 | [−0.11,0.01] | −.06 | .095 | † |
Variability in sleep onset (SD-hours) | 782 | −0.06 | [−0.13,0.01] | −.06 | .094 | † |
Variability in sleep offset (SD-hours) | 782 | −0.02 | [−0.08,0.03] | −.03 | .403 | |
Sleep regularity indexb | 781 | <0.01 | [<0.01,0.01] | .03 | .389 | |
Academic outcome: trouble in school scale (average score)d | ||||||
Sleep duration (hours), linear | 775 | −0.04 | [−0.33,0.25] | −.09 | .779 | |
Sleep duration (hours), quadratica | 775 | <0.01 | [−0.02,0.02] | .09 | .785 | |
Sleep onset (midnight-centered hours) | 775 | 0.01 | [−0.01,0.03] | .03 | .314 | |
Sleep offset (midnight-centered hours) | 775 | 0.01 | [−0.01,0.03] | .05 | .156 | |
Sleep maintenance efficiency % | 775 | 0.01 | [−0.01,0.02] | .04 | .302 | |
Variability in sleep duration (SD-hours) | 775 | 0.08 | [0.04,0.12] | .13 | <.001 | *** |
Variability in sleep onset (SD-hours) | 775 | 0.04 | [−0.01,0.08] | .06 | .091 | † |
Variability in sleep offset (SD-hours) | 775 | 0.01 | [−0.03,0.05] | .02 | .562 | |
Sleep regularity indexb | 774 | <0.01 | [<0.01,<0.01] | −.06 | .103 |
Binary outcomes . | . | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nighttime sleep predictor . | n . | OR . | [95% CI OR] . | β . | p . | . |
Academic outcome: odds of receiving D or lower in any course | ||||||
Sleep duration (hours), linear | 782 | 0.99 | [0.84, 1.18] | — | .951 | |
Sleep duration (hours), quadratica | 782 | 1.06 | [0.97, 1.17] | — | .200 | |
Sleep onset (midnight-centered hours) | 782 | 1.06 | [0.96, 1.18] | — | .252 | |
Sleep offset (midnight-centered hours) | 782 | 1.07 | [0.97, 1.18] | — | .153 | |
Sleep maintenance efficiency % | 782 | 1.01 | [0.95, 1.08] | — | .647 | |
Variability in sleep duration (SD-hours) | 782 | 1.12 | [0.90, 1.40] | — | .309 | |
Variability in sleep onset (SD-hours) | 782 | 1.29 | [1.01, 1.64] | — | .040 | * |
Variability in sleep offset (SD-hours) | 782 | 1.09 | [0.90, 1.33] | — | .365 | |
Sleep regularity indexb | 781 | 0.99 | [0.98, 1.01] | — | .442 | |
Academic outcome: odds of skipping school during last school year | ||||||
Sleep duration (hours), linear | 780 | 1.12 | [0.89, 1.40] | — | .324 | |
Sleep duration (hours), quadratica | 780 | 0.99 | [0.87, 1.12] | — | .839 | |
Sleep onset (midnight-centered hours) | 780 | 1.08 | [0.95, 1.23] | — | .258 | |
Sleep offset (midnight-centered hours) | 780 | 1.10 | [0.97, 1.24] | — | .140 | |
Sleep maintenance efficiency % | 780 | 1.02 | [0.94, 1.10] | — | .656 | |
Variability in sleep duration (SD-hours) | 780 | 1.15 | [0.88, 1.49] | — | .309 | |
Variability in sleep onset (SD-hours) | 780 | 1.26 | [0.94, 1.70] | — | .128 | |
Variability in sleep offset (SD-hours) | 780 | 1.04 | [0.81, 1.32] | — | .779 | |
Sleep regularity indexb | 779 | 0.99 | [0.98, 1.01] | — | .388 | |
Academic outcome: odds of being suspended or expelled in past 2 years | ||||||
Sleep duration (hours), linear | 778 | 1.14 | [0.96, 1.35] | — | .125 | |
Sleep duration (hours), quadratica | 778 | 1.08 | [0.98, 1.19] | — | .110 | |
Sleep onset (midnight-centered hours) | 778 | 1.06 | [0.96, 1.17] | — | .270 | |
Sleep offset (midnight-centered hours) | 778 | 1.11 | [1.01, 1.22] | — | .034 | * |
Sleep maintenance efficiency % | 778 | 0.98 | [0.92, 1.04] | — | .503 | |
Variability in sleep duration (SD-hours) | 778 | 1.31 | [1.06, 1.62] | — | .012 | * |
Variability in sleep onset (SD-hours) | 778 | 1.42 | [1.12, 1.80] | — | .004 | ** |
Variability in sleep offset (SD-hours) | 778 | 1.13 | [0.94, 1.37] | — | .190 | |
Sleep regularity indexb | 777 | 0.99 | [0.98, 1.00] | — | .197 | |
Continuous outcomes . | . | |||||
Nighttime sleep predictor . | n . | b . | [95% CI b] . | β . | p . | . |
Academic outcome: percent of courses received an A | ||||||
Sleep duration (hours), linear | 782 | −11.84 | [−30.98, 7.30] | −.38 | .225 | |
Sleep duration (hours), quadratica | 782 | 0.68 | [−0.54, 1.90] | .35 | .275 | |
Sleep onset (midnight-centered hours) | 782 | −1.39 | [−2.64, −0.14] | −.07 | .029 | * |
Sleep offset (midnight-centered hours) | 782 | −1.49 | [−2.68, −0.30] | −.08 | .014 | * |
Sleep maintenance efficiency % | 782 | 0.21 | [−0.51, 0.92] | .02 | .567 | |
Variability in sleep duration (SD-hours) | 782 | −2.96 | [−5.61, −0.31] | −.08 | .028 | * |
Variability in sleep onset (SD-hours) | 782 | −1.77 | [−4.74, 1.20] | −.04 | .242 | |
Variability in sleep offset (SD-hours) | 782 | −0.87 | [−3.23, 1.49] | −.02 | .468 | |
Sleep regularity indexb | 781 | 0.13 | [−0.03, 0.28] | .05 | .114 | |
Academic outcome: average GPAc | ||||||
Sleep duration (hours), linear | 782 | −0.03 | [−0.48, 0.41] | −.05 | .878 | |
Sleep duration (hours), quadratica | 782 | <0.01 | [−0.03, 0.03] | .03 | .935 | |
Sleep onset (midnight-centered hours) | 782 | −0.03 | [−0.06, <0.01] | −.06 | .070 | † |
Continuous outcomes . | . | |||||
Nighttime sleep predictor . | n . | OR . | [95% CI OR] . | β . | p . | . |
Sleep offset (midnight-centered hours) | 782 | −0.03 | [−0.06,<0.01] | −.07 | .033 | * |
Sleep maintenance efficiency % | 782 | <0.01 | [−0.02,0.02] | .01 | .877 | |
Variability in sleep duration (SD-hours) | 782 | −0.05 | [−0.11,0.01] | −.06 | .095 | † |
Variability in sleep onset (SD-hours) | 782 | −0.06 | [−0.13,0.01] | −.06 | .094 | † |
Variability in sleep offset (SD-hours) | 782 | −0.02 | [−0.08,0.03] | −.03 | .403 | |
Sleep regularity indexb | 781 | <0.01 | [<0.01,0.01] | .03 | .389 | |
Academic outcome: trouble in school scale (average score)d | ||||||
Sleep duration (hours), linear | 775 | −0.04 | [−0.33,0.25] | −.09 | .779 | |
Sleep duration (hours), quadratica | 775 | <0.01 | [−0.02,0.02] | .09 | .785 | |
Sleep onset (midnight-centered hours) | 775 | 0.01 | [−0.01,0.03] | .03 | .314 | |
Sleep offset (midnight-centered hours) | 775 | 0.01 | [−0.01,0.03] | .05 | .156 | |
Sleep maintenance efficiency % | 775 | 0.01 | [−0.01,0.02] | .04 | .302 | |
Variability in sleep duration (SD-hours) | 775 | 0.08 | [0.04,0.12] | .13 | <.001 | *** |
Variability in sleep onset (SD-hours) | 775 | 0.04 | [−0.01,0.08] | .06 | .091 | † |
Variability in sleep offset (SD-hours) | 775 | 0.01 | [−0.03,0.05] | .02 | .562 | |
Sleep regularity indexb | 774 | <0.01 | [<0.01,<0.01] | −.06 | .103 |
Each row represents a separate regression model (linear or logistic) adjusted for the number of course grades reported, age, birth sex, race/ethnicity, household income, the primary caregiver’s education level, the adolescent’s living arrangements, depressive symptoms, and anxious symptoms. Sleep was measured with nightly actigraphy (mean number of valid actigraphy nights per youth was 6.6 ± 2.0, range 3–16). Academic functioning was reported on a one-time year 15 survey administered to adolescents. Academic performance (letter grades and average GPA) was calculated from reported grades during the last grading period in English, mathematics, history or social studies, and science.
aWithin the same model as sleep duration (hours), linear.
bCalculated based on formula from Phillips et al.; ranges from 0 (low)–100 (high) [51]. Includes 24-hour sleep.
cAverage of letter grades across courses, where A = 4, B = 3, C = 2, and D or F = 0.5; Cronbach’s alpha = .69.
dItems in scale modeled after questions in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) Wave I In-School Questionnaire. Includes trouble "paying attention,” “getting along with teachers,” “getting homework done,” and “getting along with other students”; ranges from 1 (low) – 3 (high); Cronbach’s alpha = .62.
b, unstandardized beta; β, standardized beta; CI, confidence interval; GPA, grade point average; n, number; OR, odds ratio; p, significance level; SD, standard deviation.
†p < .10, *p < .05, **p < .01, ***p < .001, two-tailed.

Associations of dimensions of nightly sleep (sleep onset and offset; variability in sleep duration and onset) with academic performance. The mean number of valid actigraphy nights per youth was 6.6 ± 2.0 (range 3–16). Academic performance was reported on a one-time year 15 survey administered to adolescents and calculated from reported grades in English, mathematics, history or social studies, and science during the most recent grading period. GPA was calculated as the average of letter grades across courses, where A = 4, B = 3, C = 2, and D or F = 0.5 (Cronbach’s alpha = .69). All models adjust for the number of course grades reported, age, birth sex, race/ethnicity, household income, the primary caregiver’s education level, the adolescent’s living arrangements, depressive symptoms, and anxious symptoms. Odds ratios (OR) are provided for binary outcomes; beta coefficients (b and β) are provided for continuous outcomes. Confidence interval for the mean is depicted by shaded bands and values in brackets. b, unstandardized beta; β, standardized beta; OR, odds ratio; p, significance level; SD, standard deviation.
Associations of dimensions of sleep with academic behavioral outcomes
Later sleep offset (OR = 1.11, p = .034) and greater variability in sleep duration (OR = 1.31, p = .012) and in onset (OR = 1.42, p = .004) were associated with higher odds of being suspended or expelled in the past 2 years (Figure 2 and Table 2). Greater variability in sleep duration (b = 0.08, β = .13, p < .001) was associated with higher trouble in school score. There were no other associations between dimensions of sleep and academic behavioral outcomes (p ≥ .10; refer to Supplementary Table S5 for aFDR-adjusted p-values). Sensitivity analyses adjusting for the percentage of nonschool actigraphy nights yielded the same results, except that later sleep offset was associated with higher odds of skipping a class during the last school year (OR = 1.19, p = .014; Supplementary Table S6). Neither free night catch-up sleep nor social jetlag significantly predicted academic behavioral outcomes in supplementary analyses (Supplementary Table S7).

Associations of dimensions of nightly sleep (sleep offset, variability in sleep duration and onset) with school-related behavioral issues. The mean number of valid actigraphy nights per youth was 6.6 ± 2.0 (range 3–16). Academic problems were reported on a one-time year 15 survey. The probability of being suspended/expelled referred to the last 2 years and the trouble in school scale referred to the current school year. The items in the trouble in school scale were modeled after questions in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) Wave I In-School Questionnaire. The items are trouble "paying attention,” “getting along with teachers,” “getting homework done,” and “getting along with other students” (Cronbach’s alpha = .62). All models adjust for age, birth sex, race/ethnicity, household income, the primary caregiver’s education level, the adolescent’s living arrangements, depressive symptoms, and anxious symptoms. Odds ratios (OR) are provided for binary outcomes; beta coefficients (b and β) are provided for continuous outcomes. Confidence interval for the mean is depicted by shaded bands and values in brackets. b, unstandardized beta; β, standardized beta; OR, odds ratio; p, significance level; SD, standard deviation.
Discussion
The present study examined the links between several dimensions of sleep measured with actigraphy and academic functioning in adolescents. We demonstrated that later sleep timing and greater variability (SD) in sleep duration and timing were associated with poorer academic performance and more behavioral issues at school. In contrast, sleep duration, sleep maintenance efficiency, and SRI were not associated with academic functioning. The findings suggest that policies that support consistent sleep timing across the week in adolescents may be recommended for optimal functioning at school.
We found that later sleep timing was associated with poorer adolescent academic functioning. Later sleep timing may result in lateness to school, which could interfere with learning and lead to more severe behavioral issues such as suspensions. Alternatively, teens with an evening preference could have academic problems due to a mismatch between their preferred time of learning and the early times they are required to attend school. Given that adolescents overall tend to have a later chronotype than children and adults [34], the present findings may indicate the importance of the movement to shift high school start times later (i.e., 8:30 am or later) in the United States [56, 57].
Greater sleep variability was also associated with poorer academic functioning in this sample of adolescents, highlighting increasing sleep consistency as a potential target for future interventions to improve academic functioning. Greater variability in sleep duration or timing across the week among adolescents may cause circadian misalignment that leads to suboptimal cognitive functioning and behavioral issues. For example, simulated shift work, a type of circadian misalignment, impairs vigilance performance in adults [58], and in a sample of Antarctic expeditioners, memory performance and mood were poorest when sleep was more misaligned to internal circadian rhythms as measured with melatonin [59]. Alternatively, adolescents with less structured routines may be less well adjusted and therefore also less likely to excel academically and function better at school, rather than sleep variability directly causing poorer academic functioning in adolescents. Longitudinal and experimental research would clarify the potential causal role of sleep variability in academic functioning.
We did not find associations of sleep duration or sleep maintenance efficiency with any academic outcome. The null findings of sleep duration are consistent with a recent meta-analysis indicating no significant overall association between sleep duration and adolescent academic performance [60] and several other empirical studies [14, 16–21, 23–26, 30]. Also, sleep maintenance efficiency and academic functioning were not associated in this sample, aligning with some prior research [16, 25]. It is possible that most adolescents in this sample had relatively high levels of sleep maintenance efficiency, precluding potential associations with academic functioning.
Unlike variability in sleep duration and timing represented by SD, SRI was not associated with academic functioning in this sample. In contrast to sleep SD measures, SRI is not specific to sleep duration or timing. Rather, SRI encapsulates the general consistency of sleep-wake cycles across days, epoch-by-epoch, and accounts for aspects of sleep such as napping and sleep continuity [51]. From a practical standpoint, maintaining consistent sleep duration and timing across the week may be more targetable than increasing SRI and, as demonstrated by our findings, may also be more relevant to optimal academic functioning in adolescents.
The findings of this study may inform recommendations for school administrators, pediatricians, and parents about the potential impact of sleep timing and variability on academic functioning. School administrators may consider later high school start times, which would allow adolescents with a later chronotype to perform when at their best and would reduce sleep variability due to more consistent sleep timing across the week [34]. Pediatricians could recommend that parents set consistent bedtimes and wake times for their children, which would reduce sleep variability and may enable optimal academic functioning. Stabilizing sleep schedules in adolescents may therefore be an important target of future interventions to boost academic functioning in this population.
The present study has some limitations and notable strengths. Strengths of the present study are the objective measurement of multiple dimensions of sleep with actigraphy and the examination of multiple aspects of academic functioning, which provide novel contributions to the literature. Another strength is the large, diverse sample of adolescents across the United States, which allows generalizability of our findings to adolescents across different demographic groups. One limitation is the cross-sectional nature of these analyses, due to which the present study could not determine temporal precedence. Future longitudinal or experimental research could elucidate the direction of the association between actigraphic sleep and academic functioning in adolescents. Additionally, all academic functioning outcomes were captured through self-report, potentially resulting in bias compared to more objective measures. Moreover, we were not able to examine differences due to sleep timing preference as we did not have a measure of chronotype. We were also unable to examine any differences between school and nonschool nights. To mitigate participant burden and reduce selection bias, the present study examined adolescents with a minimum of three actigraphy nights, and many adolescents did not provide actigraphy data for both types of night. Therefore, given that actigraphic data better approximate the gold standard of polysomnography with more nights of data [61], adolescents’ actigraphy in the present study may not have been fully representative of their typical sleep patterns.
The present study demonstrated that adolescents with later sleep timing and more variable sleep duration and timing as measured with actigraphy reported poorer academic functioning compared to other adolescents. Maintaining consistent sleep-wake schedules may help boost academic functioning in adolescents.
Acknowledgments
We would like to thank the participants, their families, and the members of the Actigraphy Data Coordinating Center (ADCC) at the Pennsylvania State University for scoring the actigraphy data.
Funding
Research reported in this publication was supported by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) of the National Institutes of Health under award numbers R01HD073352 (to LH), R01HD036916, R01HD039135, and R01HD040421, as well as a consortium of private foundations. NICHD had no role in the design, analysis, or writing of this article.
Disclosure Statement
Financial disclosure: None of the authors have conflicts of interests related to the material presented. Outside of the present work, DAR was supported by the Prevention and Methodology Training Program (T32 DA017629) with funding from the National Institute on Drug Abuse. OMB received subcontract grants to Pennsylvania State University from Proactive Life (formerly Mobile Sleep Technologies) doing business as SleepSpace (National Science Foundation grant #1622766 and National Institutes of Health/National Institute on Aging Small Business Innovation Research Program R43AG056250, R44AG056250), honoraria/travel support for lectures from Boston University, Boston College, Tufts School of Dental Medicine, Harvard Chan School of Public Health, New York University, University of Miami, University of South Florida, University of Utah, University of Arizona, Eric H. Angle Society of Orthodontists, Spencer Study Club, and Allstate, consulting fees from Sleep Number, and an honorarium from the National Sleep Foundation for his role as the Editor-in-Chief of Sleep Health (sleephealthjournal.org). A-MC has received a grant to the Pennsylvania State University from Kunasan and honoraria/travel support for lectures from the University of Miami. LH has received consulting fees from Idorsia Pharmaceuticals and honoraria/travel support for lectures and consulting supported by Auburn University, Baylor University, Brown University, the University of Miami, New York University, Columbia University/Princeton University, and the National Sleep Foundation. She ended her term as Editor-in-Chief of Sleep Health in 2020. Nonfinancial disclosure: The authors have no nonfinancial disclosures.
Data Availability
Survey, sleep actigraphy, and diary data from the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing study (https://ffcws.princeton.edu/documentation) are publicly available from Princeton University’s Office of Population Research (OPR) data archive: https://ffcws.princeton.edu/restricted.
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