{"id":3831,"date":"2025-12-18T12:32:44","date_gmt":"2025-12-18T12:32:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bangbizarre.com\/index.php\/2025\/12\/18\/over-22-per-cent-of-young-adults-use-substances-to-sleep-study-finds\/"},"modified":"2025-12-18T12:32:45","modified_gmt":"2025-12-18T12:32:45","slug":"over-22-per-cent-of-young-adults-use-substances-to-sleep-study-finds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bangbizarre.com\/index.php\/2025\/12\/18\/over-22-per-cent-of-young-adults-use-substances-to-sleep-study-finds\/","title":{"rendered":"Over 22 per cent of young adults use substances to sleep, study finds"},"content":{"rendered":"

2025-12-18 12:32:43<\/b>
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More than one in five young adults are turning to cannabis or alcohol to help them fall asleep.

\nNew data from the University of Michigan\u2019s long-running Monitoring the Future Panel Study found that 22 per cent of Americans aged 19 to 30 reported using cannabis, alcohol, or both as a sleep aid.

\nCannabis was by far the most common choice, as 18 per cent said they used it to get to sleep, compared with seven per cent who relied on alcohol.

\nAmong those who had used cannabis in the past year, 41 per cent said helping themselves fall asleep was one reason for their use.

\nResearchers warned that while substances may feel helpful in the short term, they can undermine sleep in the long run.

\nMegan Patrick, research professor at the Institute for Social Research and the study\u2019s principal investigator, said: \u201cUsing these substances to get to sleep can backfire because they can interfere with the ability to stay asleep and with the quality of sleep.

\n\u201cThey appear to actually disrupt sleep in the long term. The fact that so many young adults reported that they use cannabis to sleep is alarming.\u201d

\nThe study, published in JAMA Pediatrics, analysed responses from 1,473 young adults across the U.S. and found striking differences between groups.

\nWomen were almost twice as likely as men to use cannabis for sleep, while participants identifying as another gender were more than four times as likely.

\nBlack young adults were three times more likely than white participants to say they used alcohol as a sleep aid.

\nPatrick said repeated reliance on substances can make sleep problems worse rather than better.

\nShe said: \u201cLong-term, regular use of these substances to get to sleep may lead to worse sleep problems and increased risk for substance use disorder.

\n\u201cFor example, frequently using a substance to get to sleep may lead to tolerance, or needing more of it to get the same effect.\u201d

\nShe added that the belief substances improve sleep is deeply misleading.

\nPatrick said: \u201cUnfortunately, there is a misconception that substance use can be helpful for sleep problems, but it can make things worse.

\n\u201cHigh-quality sleep is critical for mental health and regulating mood.\u201d

\nThe findings are among the first to examine, at a national level, why young adults use substances to manage sleep as they transition into adulthood.

\nResearchers said the overlap between sleep problems and substance use means clinicians need to pay closer attention.

\nPatrick said: \u201cHealth care providers should understand how common both sleep problems and substance use are during young adulthood.

\n\u201cAnd that many young adults are using cannabis specifically to get to sleep. People who are trying to manage sleep problems should talk to their doctors or other providers.\u201d

\nExperts warned using substances as a sleep shortcut may offer short-term relief, but the long-term costs could be far higher.
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