What's keeping kids up at night? How psychosocial stressors exacerbate the relationship between sleep and mental health

Background Although it is well established that healthy sleep promotes positive mental health, little known about how operates in children and adolescents who experience a range of psychosocial stressors. This study examined the association between duration serious illness (SMI) this pathway moderated by stressors (discrimination, bullying, perceived school neighborhood safety). Methods A cross-sectional was conducted among students California district serving low-income community 2019–2020. non-probability convenience sampling method used, surveys were administered English, single class period. Basic descriptive statistics hierarchical linear regression analysis used. Results Students (n = 24,439) grades 5–12 surveyed. An average 18.7% reported having SMI; however, distribution increased grade from 13.6% 5th to 24.5% 11th grade. Sleep inversely associated with SMI, as hours decreased, risk SMI increased. The negative effect poor on further exacerbated discrimination at (β 0.13, p < 0.001), feeling unsafe one's 0.32, 0.23, being bullied 0.54, 0.001). Conclusion demonstrated reduced SMI. However, presence safety), despite sleep.