OBJECTIVES: Insufficient sleep could have harmful effects on mental health. We examined the mental health status of Korean adolescents according to daily sleep time and subjective sleep satisfaction using a nationwide representative sample of Korean adolescents. METHODS: Data from the 2016 Korean Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey was used. Sleep duration on weekdays and subjective sleep satisfaction during the past week were asked. Participants' perceived health, happiness, stress, depressive mood, and suicidality during past 12 months were also investigated. Participants were classified by mean duration of daily sleep time and the level of sleep satisfaction, and the odds of having mental health problems were compared. RESULTS: Compared to adolescents who slept more than 6 hours per day and satisfied with their sleep, adolescents who slept less than 6 hours per day and/or dissatisfied with their sleep were less likely to perceive themselves healthy and happy. They were also more likely to have severe stress, depressive mood, and suicidality, with highest odds ratios among adolescents with both short and dissatisfying sleep. CONCLUSIONS: Given the significant associations between sleep insufficiency and mental health problems, attention to the sleep shortage among Korean adolescents is needed. Prospective studies are warranted to elucidate the causal relationships between subjective and objective sleep insufficiency and psychiatric conditions.
Adolescent ; Depression ; Happiness ; Humans ; Mental Health ; Odds Ratio ; Prospective Studies ; Risk-Taking ; Suicidal Ideation