ABSTRACT

Sleep restriction is prevalent during adolescence and is associated with a range of adverse outcomes, including daytime, academic, physical (e.g., hypercholesterolemia), and psychological (e.g., depression) impairments. Despite possessing sleep-disrupting properties and holding a central role in the modern adolescent diet, caffeine’s potential as a contributing risk factor to the development of adolescent sleep restriction remains understudied. The current systematic review identified 16 papers investigating the relationship between adolescent caffeine use and the sleep parameters of bedtime, sleep onset latency (SOL), and total sleep time (TST). In the literature, most studies found reduced TST associated with consumption of caffeine products, implicating later bedtime and/or longer SOL. However, inconsistent findings have been found in relation to bedtime and SOL. A discussion of methodological limitations present in the studies reviewed is provided, as well as directions for future research.