A Wake-Up Call for Adolescents: Uncovering the Relationship Between Sleep and Circadian Factors on Executive Functioning and Risk-Taking Behaviours in Adolescents.

Abstract

Poor sleep may heighten adolescent risk-taking and impair executive functioning (EF). Circadian misalignment (CM)-the gap between internal circadian timing and 24-h behavioural cycles-might also impact EF and risk-taking. However, the link between circadian factors and EF/risk-taking remains underexplored. This study investigates the relationships between sleep duration, circadian timing, morningness/eveningness preference and CM with adolescent EF and risk-taking behaviour. Participants (N = 52), aged 14-18, provided demographic information and completed the Morningness/Eveningness Questionnaire and Pubertal Development Scale. They wore Actiwatches for 11 days and attended a dim-light melatonin onset (DLMO) appointment, completing the Youth Risk Behavior Survey and Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function. Independent samples t-tests compared EF and risk-taking across four sleep health aspects: circadian timing (DLMO), morningness/eveningness preference, CM, and sleep duration. Evening preference significantly predicted higher risk-taking (g = 0.991), worsened EF (g = 0.75) and reduced metacognition and behavioural regulation (g's > 0.60). Inadequate sleep duration trended towards predicting reduced EF and inhibition (g's > 0.55). DLMO and CM were not associated with EF or risk-taking (Hedge's g < 0.5). Eveningness preference and lower sleep duration may increase risky behaviour and worsen EF in adolescents. Future research should explore whether increasing sleep duration and advancing sleep schedule preferences reduce risky behaviour and improve cognitive function.