INSOMNIA IN ADOLESCENTS

Abstract

Insomnia is a common sleep disorder characterized by difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking up too early and being unable to return to sleep. It can significantly impact daytime functioning, leading to fatigue, mood disturbances, reduced concentration, and decreased overall quality of life. Insomnia can be acute (short-term), often triggered by stress or life events, or chronic (long-term), persisting for months or longer, often influenced by underlying medical, psychological, or environmental factors. Worldwide, insomnia is the most common sleep disorder among adolescents, with a prevalence rate ranging from 7.8% to 23.8%. Adolescents are particularly vulnerable to insomnia due to biological, psychological, and social changes during this developmental stage. Addressing insomnia early in this age group is crucial for their overall well-being and long-term health. Insomnia is a common sleep disorder during adolescence that affects between 10 and 40% of adolescents, depending on the diagnostic criteria used. The aim of this study was to determine presence of insomnia in adolescent population of Canton Sarajevo. Subjects and Methods: This is a decsriptive study with data were collected from adolescents aged 15–19 years old recruited from high schools from Sarajevo. The Adolescent Insomnia Questionnaire (AIQ) is a 13-item self-report screening tool designed specifically to assess insomnia symptoms in adolescents. It comprises three subscales: sleep onset, sleep dissatisfaction and impairments, and sleep maintenance. Study Results: The study included 1 357 respondents, high school students from the Sarajevo Canton area. Of this total, 342 (25.2%) were first-year students, 342 (25.2%) were second-year students, 323 (23.8%) were third-year students, and 350 (25.8%) were fourth-year students. The analysis of sleep in relation to the respondents' grade level showed that the highest score for sleep onset was among first-year students, while the lowest was among second-year students, with no significant statistical difference (p = 0.19). Sleep dissatisfaction was least pronounced among third-year students, with an average score of 9.99 ± 4.2, and highest among second-year students, with a score of 10.32 ± 4.04 (p = 0.779). Overall sleep scores were 23.82 ± 6.13 for first-year students, 23.29 ± 5.8 for second-year students, 22.99 ± 6.55 for third-year students, and 23.52 ± 6.40 for fourth-year students, also without significant statistical differences (p = 0.394). Disccussion: These results are comparable with previous studies around the world, and they support them. Study conducted in Denmark by Andreucci et all, found that average AIQ score at baseline was 30.14 (± 8.90). Females had a statistically significant (31.1 ± 8.1, p = 0.003) higher mean score than males (26.0 ± 10.8). Higher AIQ scores were significantly associated with older age (linear regression coefficient = 1.48; 95% CI 0.58, 2.39; P = 0.001). Ninety-two percent of the sample (N = 169) had AIQ values above the suggested cut-off of 15 for defining insomnia symptoms. Conclusion: The findings indicate that 9 out of 10 adolescents exhibit some symptoms of insomnia, highlighting the tool's potential significance in identifying sleep disturbances in this population.