Significantly More Transgender Youth Are Prone To Sleep Issues
Nikki Attkisson | Last Updated : November 28, 2022A new study has found that transgender youths are more prone to sleep disorders than other youths.
Among a total number of 1.2 million youths who were analyzed for the study, around 2,600 identified themselves as trans or gender non-conforming. This opens up a whole new possibility of identifying mental stress and sleep disorders in youths who do not belong to the cisgender.
The results showed that young transgenders were 5.4 times more susceptible to sleep disorders like insomnia, sleep apnea, etc.
Dr.Ronald Gavidia, co-author and sleep medicine physician at the University of Michigan Neurology Department said that the study seems to raise a lot of discussion over the fact that so many young people are facing sleeping disorders that can harm their overall quality of life.
The lack of sleep is also associated with depression and other mental disorders. Other studies correlated these issues with young individuals. One of the main reasons for this can be the lack of social support for these individuals.
Lack Of Sleep Will Effect Psychological Health
They face a lot of stigma and exclusion because of their gender status and this can in turn affect their psychological health in multiple ways.
According to UCLA School of Law, around 300,000 youth identify as transgenders in the US. So, this would naturally lead to the question of their mental health and how they are coping with the social pressures.
The researchers say that these results are a natural galvanizing process of individuals who are considered more or less like social deviants because of their gender status.
The LGBTQ community has always been under the radar of transphobic groups and this can reflect in the daily routine activities of transgenders and other gender minorities.
The researchers observed that transgender individuals who go through gender-affirming therapy can improve their mental health and sleep disorders.
Gender Affirming Therapy is a form of therapeutic intervention that aims to affirm an individual’s inherent gender association rather than trying to force them to take up a gender identity that doesn’t suit their psychological disposition.
This form of therapy focuses on addressing some of the core issues that non-gender conforming individuals tend to face like depression, trauma, shame, violence, social stigma, etc.
Additionally, sleep disorders not only cause mental or psychological issues but also tend to create multiple physical problems like blood pressure, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, stroke, thyroid conditions, etc.
The study recommends that further clinical studies should be done on the sleep disorders of young individuals and transgenders in particular. The state should also intervene to create more trans-friendly policies that can accelerate the social acceptance of transgenders.
Timely screenings and clinical testing should be made on the minority population to better understand their psychological issues and lifestyle-related anxieties. This new study creates a positive approach to the initiative to uplift the quality of life of transgenders and other minorities around the world and in the US.
More From Powdersville Post:
🔵 Mental Stress Of Transgender Youth Against Political Fights
🔵 Nearly Half Of American Adults Suffers From Sleep Deprivation- Study Finds
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) divides sleep disorders into multiple types like Insomnia, Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS), Narcolepsy, and Sleep Apnea. The CDC recommends eight to ten hours of sleep for teens and seven hours and more sleep for adults above 18.
There are some lifestyle changes that the CDC suggests for improving your sleep quality like trying to sleep at a consistent time every night, try not eating big meals before going to sleep, doing some physical exercise during the daytime, avoiding caffeinated drinks at night and finally make sure your bedroom is adjusted to a comfortable temperature with a dark, relaxing environment.
If these steps do not solve the sleep problem you are facing, then visit your healthcare expert.
References:
🔵 Harvard Health Publishing (n.d) Sleep deprivation can affect your mental health Available [Online] at: https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/sleep-and-mental-health
🔵 Medline Plus (2020) Sleep Disorders Available [Online] at: https://medlineplus.gov/sleepdisorders.html
With over 15 years as a practicing journalist, Nikki Attkisson found herself at Powdersville Post now after working at several other publications. She is an award-winning journalist with an entrepreneurial spirit and worked as a journalist covering technology, innovation, environmental issues, politics, health etc. Nikki Attkisson has also worked on product development, content strategy, and editorial management for numerous media companies. She began her career at local news stations and worked as a reporter in national newspapers.