The biological origins underpinning adolescent sleep timing

尽管受到文化和社会的影响，但在青春期，就寝时间逐渐变晚，这表明共同的生物因素。睡眠压力的减少，24小时昼夜节律的延迟，以及遗传关联都已被发现，但缺乏来自这些生物睡眠过程的全面的前瞻性数据。该项目旨在利用定期的“实验室内”评估来揭示青少年的昼夜节律延迟和睡眠压力，这些因素可能会预测他们在家庭环境中的自然睡眠行为。据预测，睡眠压力低且昼夜节律较晚的青少年就寝时间较晚，从而增强了对破坏青少年健康睡眠的隐蔽生物机制的了解。

Notwithstanding cultural and social influences, bedtimes gradually become later during adolescence, suggesting common biological contributions. Reductions in sleep pressure, delays in the 24-hour circadian rhythm, and genetic associations have been implicated, yet comprehensive prospective data from these biological sleep processes are lacking. This project aims to use periodic 'in-lab' assessments to unmask young adolescents' circadian rhythm delay and sleep pressure which may predict naturalistic sleep behaviour in their home environment. It is predicted that adolescents who show both low sleep pressure and later circadian delay to possess later bedtimes, thus enhancing knowledge of covert biological mechanisms sabotaging healthy adolescent sleep.