Etiologies and evaluation of sleep disturbances in adolescence.

The etiologies of sleep disturbances in adolescents are varied and include biological, environmental, and sociocultural factors. Health care practitioners need to have a basic understanding of normal sleep development in adolescents and the risk factors for inadequate sleep, as well as an appreciation for the myriad potential consequences of insufficient sleep (ie, mood dysregulation, academic failure, and obesity). This chapter provides a systematic approach to screening and evaluating adolescent sleep complaints in the clinical setting and provides suggestions for anticipatory guidance regarding healthy sleep, which should be part of standard adolescent health care.