A National Survey of U.S. Adolescent Sleep Duration, Timing, and Social Jetlag During the COVID-19 Pandemic

ABSTRACT

Objectives

To assess changes in duration, timing, and social jetlag in adolescent sleep during the COVID-19 pandemic and evaluate the impact of mood, physical activity, and social interactions on sleep.

Study Design

An online survey queried adolescents’ sleep before (through retrospective report) and during the initial phase of COVID-19 in May 2020. Adolescents (N = 3,494), 13–19 years old, in the United States (U.S.) answered questions about their current and retrospective (prior to COVID-19) sleep, chronotype, mood, and physical and social activities. Linear regression models were fit for time in bed, reported bed and wake times, and social jetlag during COVID-19, accounting for pre-COVID-19 values.

Results

Total reported time in bed (a proxy for sleep duration) increased on weekdays by an average of 1.3 ± 1.8 hours (p < .001) during COVID-19, compared to retrospective report of time in bed prior to COVID-19. During COVID-19, 81.3% of adolescents reported spending 8 hours or more in bed on weekdays compared to only 53.5% prior to COVID-19. On weekdays, bedtimes were delayed on average by 2.5 hours and wake times by 3.8 hours during COVID-19 compared to prior to COVID-19. On weekends, bedtimes were delayed on average by 1.6 hours and waketimes by 1.5 hours (all p’s < 0.001). Social jetlag of >2 hours decreased to 6.3% during COVID-19 compared to 52.1% prior to COVID-19. Anxiety and depression symptoms and a decline in physical activity during COVID-19 were associated with delayed bed and wake times during COVID-19.

Conclusions

During COVID-19, adolescents reported spending more time in bed, with most adolescents reporting 8 hours of sleep opportunity and more consistent sleep schedules. As schools return to in-person learning, additional research should examine how sleep schedules may change due to school start times and what lessons can be learned from changes that occurred during COVID-19 that promote favorable adolescent sleep.

Disclosure statement

No conflicts of interest are reported for any of the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the following funding sources: Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus; NIH K23DK117021; and NIH/NCATS Colorado CTSA UL1 TR002535. Dr. Honaker’s time was supported by the National Heart, Lung, And Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number K23HL150299. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.