Poster #39 - Living at Altitude: Associations with Sleep and Mental Health in Adolescents

• In Event: Poster Session 05

Abstract

Prior research in adults shows that living at higher altitude may increase risk for poorer psychological functioning, including greater daytime sleepiness (Stadelmann et al., 2013), and higher rates of depression and suicide (Ha & Tu, 2018). Despite these preliminary studies in adults, it is unknown how living at higher altitudes may be associated with sleep and mental health in adolescents, a period of the life-span when risk for the development of psychiatric disorders and sleep problems is high (CDC, 2019; Lee et al., 2014). In addition, the majority of research in adults has focused on extreme elevations (e.g., 8,000+ feet) and less is known whether similar psychological differences are present at more moderate elevation levels. The current study aimed to examine the relationships between geographical location (altitude), daytime sleepiness, anxiety, and depression in an adolescent sample.

Participants included 125 adolescents (ages 10-17 years, M = 13.36, SD = 2.03; 46.4% female; 88% white, .8% American Indian/Alaskan Native, 1.6% Asian, 1.6% Other, 8% multiracial; 3.2% Hispanic/Latino). Participants were recruited to obtain a representative sample of teens from a rural state in the Mountain West region of the United States. Adolescents completed a virtual visit with a parent, which included a semi-structured interview about their sleep (Structured Clinical Interview for Sleep Disorders-Revised; Taylor et al., 2019). Teens also reported on whether they felt like they needed more sleep (Pediatric Daytime Sleepiness Scale; Drake et al., 2003), and parents reported on demographic characteristics, their geographic location, and on their child’s mental health (Child Behavior Checklist; Achenbach & Rescorla, 2001). Altitude was calculated using data available from the U.S. Geological Survey (usgs.gov).

All participants lived at moderate altitude (M = 3,569, SD = 762, range = 1,938-5,325 feet). A series of regression models were conducted to examine associations between altitude, sleep, and mental health, while adjusting for age, sex, and income. Results suggest that altitude was not associated with depressive symptoms (p = .29) or anxiety symptoms (p = .70). After accounting for age, sex, and income, living at a higher altitude was associated with reports of needing more sleep (β = .23, p = .03).

This study is one of the first to examine sleep need and mental health in relation to altitude in adolescents. These findings also extend research in adults that have primarily focused on extreme and high levels of altitude. These findings replicate research in adults suggesting that altitude may increase sleep need. Possible mechanistic biological pathways linking altitude and sleep will be discussed, along with implications for socioecological models of adolescent sleep.

Authors

• Alexandria Irene Montenegro, Montana State University
  Presenting Author

• Giovanni Alvarado

• Ashleigh Hilton, Montana State University

• Cara Alexis Palmer, Montana State University