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，这表明了共同的生理原因。睡眠压力的降低、24小时昼夜节律的延迟和遗传关联都与此有关，但缺乏这些生物睡眠过程的全面前瞻性数据。该项目旨在使用定期的“实验室”评估来揭示青少年的昼夜节律延迟和睡眠压力，这可能会预测他们在家庭环境中的自然睡眠行为。据预测，同时表现出低睡眠压力和较晚的昼夜节律延迟的青少年拥有较晚的就寝时间，从而增强了对破坏健康青少年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.