/ Sleep News / Teens' Depression Improves With Therapy That Targets Natural Sleep Patterns

Teens’ Depression Improves With Therapy That Targets Natural Sleep Patterns

Updated October 10, 2023

Fact-Checked

The Sleep Foundation editorial team is dedicated to providing content that meets the highest standards for accuracy and objectivity. Our editors and medical experts rigorously evaluate every article and guide to ensure the information is factual, up-to-date, and free of bias.

The Sleep Foundation fact-checking guidelines are as follows:

We only cite reputable sources when researching our guides and articles. These include peer-reviewed journals, government reports, academic and medical associations, and interviews with credentialed medical experts and practitioners.
All scientific data and information must be backed up by at least one reputable source. Each guide and article includes a comprehensive bibliography with full citations and links to the original sources.
Some guides and articles feature links to other relevant Sleep Foundation pages. These internal links are intended to improve ease of navigation across the site, and are never used as original sources for scientific data or information.
A member of our medical expert team provides a final review of the content and sources cited for every guide, article, and product review concerning medical- and health-related topics. Inaccurate or unverifiable information will be removed prior to publication.
Plagiarism is never tolerated. Writers and editors caught stealing content or improperly citing sources are immediately terminated, and we will work to rectify the situation with the original publisher(s)
Although Sleep Foundation maintains affiliate partnerships with brands and e-commerce portals, these relationships never have any bearing on our product reviews or recommendations. Read our full Advertising Disclosure for more information.

Researchers may have found a new tool to help fight teen depression. A recent study at the University of California, San Francisco found that teens with major depressive disorder (MDD) could benefit from treatment that targets their natural sleep patterns. Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. View Source The results add to the growing evidence of the vital connection between body clocks, sleep schedules, and mental health.

Lack of sleep is associated Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. View Source with depression and mental health in teens. This can be a big problem for night-owl teens, whose biological sleep preference, or chronotype, for later bedtimes and wake-ups clash with typical early school start times. With having to wake up early for school, these teens are often sleep-deprived.

Researchers conducted the study on 42 teens that had depression and the night owl chronotype. Twenty-four teens received therapy called Transdiagnostic Sleep and Circadian Rhythm Intervention (TranS-C). This treatment combines several types of therapy, including cognitive-behavior therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) and interpersonal and social rhythm therapy (IPSRT).

This treatment aims to align the teen’s internal body clock or circadian rhythm with their sleep and wake times so the teens get the sleep they need while meeting school and social obligations.

The other 18 study participants attended educational classes that taught healthy lifestyle habits. All subjects attended weekly therapy sessions, kept sleep diaries, and wore devices to measure their sleep quality.

Researchers assessed the participants’ depressive symptoms and circadian rhythms before and after the experiment. They also conducted six- and 12-month follow-ups.

The study found that participants who received the TranS-C treatment showed a significant reduction in Major Depressive Disorder after 12 months compared to those who attended the healthy lifestyle classes. Further analysis showed that alignment of the circadian rhythm with sleep and wake behavior significantly affects teens’ level of depression.

These results highlight the critical link between the biology of sleep and teen depression. They come at a time when the latest Center for Disease Control report shows that mental health problems among teens are increasing. Trusted Source Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) As the nation’s health protection agency, CDC saves lives and protects people from health threats. View Source It’s worth noting that the last survey was taken in 2021, when teens had just endured the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Some 40% of teens report being night owls, and research shows this chronotype carries a greater risk for mood disorders, school absenteeism, and poor performance. Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. View Source While research shows that later school start times improve student mood and performance, Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. View Source the average school start time in the U.S. is still 8 a.m. Trusted Source National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) The NCES is the primary federal entity for collecting and analyzing data related to education in the U.S. and other nations. View Source

A more extensive study of TranS-C treatment is planned soon, and the conclusions could lead to novel, effective treatments for teen depression. The findings may also provide more reasons to support later school start times.

Got a hot tip? Pitch us your story idea, share your expertise with SleepFoundation.org, or let us know about your sleep experiences right here.

Written By

Brian Clark, Contributing Writer

Brian Clark is a writer and educator based in Los Angeles. His articles have appeared in The Austin Chronicle, Movieline and Screen Anarchy, among others. Like many, he became acutely aware of the importance of sleep after his first child was born.

Learn more about our Editorial Team

References
8 Sources

Asarnow, L. D., Soehner, A. M., Dolsen, M. R., Dong, L., & Harvey, A. G. (2023). Report from a randomized control trial: improved alignment between circadian biology and sleep–wake behavior as a mechanism of depression symptom improvement in evening‐type adolescents with depressive symptoms. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37589403/
Roberts, R. E., & Duong, H. T. (2014). The prospective association between sleep deprivation and depression among adolescents. Sleep, 37(2), 239–244.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24497652/
University of California San Francisco. (2023, September 11). Sleep-Wake Therapy Gives New Hope for Teens with Depression | UC San Francisco., Retrieved October 6, 2023 from
https://www.ucsf.edu/news/2023/09/426096/sleep-wake-therapy-gives-new-hope-teens-depression
Harvey, A. G., & Buysse, D. J. (2018). Treating sleep problems: A transdiagnostic approach. [Abstract] The Guilford Press., Retrieved October 6, 2023, from
https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2017-43112-000
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Mental health. (Reviewed June 1, 2023). Division of Adolescent and School Health., Retrieved October 6, 2023, from
https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/mental-health/index.htm
Lang, C., Richardson, C., Micic, G., & Gradisar, M. (2022). Understanding Sleep-Wake behavior in late chronotype adolescents: the role of circadian phase, sleep timing, and sleep propensity. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 13.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8963423/
Yip, T., Wang, Y., Xie, M., Ip, P. S., Fowle, J., & Buckhalt, J. A. (2022). School start Times, Sleep, and Youth Outcomes: A Meta-analysis. Pediatrics, 149(6).
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35593065/
Start time for U.S. public high schools. (2020, February). National Center for Education Statistics., Retrieved October 6, 2023, from
https://nces.ed.gov/pubs2020/2020006/index.asp