Sleep problems during early childhood could be linked to problems with alcohol and drugs later in life, according to new research.

The research out of Idaho State University says kids who have trouble sleeping between the ages of three and five have a higher probability of struggling with sleep as teenagers and starting to use drugs and alcohol early.

  “This study confirmed what we suspected a few years ago when we completed our earlier study, that not only do sleep problems in early childhood predict the early onset of alcohol and drug use in adolescence, but it also predicts problems with alcohol and drug use in early adulthood,” Maria Wong, the main author of the study and an associate professor of psychology at Idaho State University, said in a statement.

The connection makes sense when you consider how behavior that leaves preschoolers and pre-kindergarteners tired can set a pattern that creates other problems once they are teenagers.

Overtiredness in early childhood predicted adolescents having problems inhibiting impulses and behavior, which predicted higher rates of illicit drug use.  Sleep problems also predicted the presence of binge drinking, blackouts, driving after drinking alcohol, and the number of lifetime alcohol problems in young adulthood, according to Wong. – “Childhood sleep problems linked to young adult alcohol, drug abuse according to study by Idaho State University professor Wong.” 4/5/10.

This research is also fresh evidence of how setting healthy habits early in life can pay big dividends later. It is also part of an interesting study that is tracking 386 children from age 3 to age 20, which should have other important findings about early learning.

(Thanks to Sixty Second Parent for finding this research.)

Good News from Oregon: In this era of budget cutting, the Pacific Northwest continues to create initiatives and find new money for early learning. Oregon actually approved spending $1 million on Early Head Start for the first time, The Oregonian reports.

“The move reflects the Legislature's commitment to early childhood education, given that lawmakers approved the expansion at a time when they were scrambling to find money to fill a $185 million hole in the current two-year budget.” – Oregon Legislature finds $1 million for Early Head Start, 4/7/10.

(Thanks to the National Institute for Early Education Research for highlighting this news.)