Getting less than seven hours sleep in your teens can lead to a higher MS risk, scientists warn

Getting less than seven hours sleep as a teenager can increase the chances of developing multiple sclerosis, according to a new study.

Insufficient and disturbed sleep during adolescence can heighten the chance of being diagnosed with the condition by as much as 50 per cent, scientists have said.

But the study, run by the Karolinska Institute in Sweden, found that having more than seven hours sleep can help ward off the condition.

Experts said that social media and working night shifts are some of the reasons behind adolescents not getting a proper nights sleep.

Multiple sclerosis is a lifelong condition that affects the brain and the spinal cord and involves problems with vision, arm or leg movement, and balance.

It is incurable but medicines and treatments can help ease the symptoms.

Though it is believed multiple sclerosis is due to genetics, there are other environmental factors which cause it - like the lack of sunlight and Vitamin D, smoking, teenage obesity, and glandular fever.

Shift work has also been linked to a heightened risk of the condition, particularly at a young age.