The Effects Of Sleep Deprivation Among Teens

It is a well known fact that teenagers in general need more sleep. According to the National Sleep Foundation: “[teenage sleep] is as important as the air you breathe, the water you drink and the food you eat. It can even help you to eat better and manage stress of being a teen.” When schools start as early as 7 o’clock, it puts students health at risk. Adolescents already have a natural shift in their internal body clock, or circadian rhythm when it comes to sleep. Puberty allows this to happen, causing a “sleep phase delay” of about two hours. When teens can't fall asleep until late and school starts so early, they aren't getting nearly enough sleep. Lack of such, according to CDC, makes the individual

Have you ever wondered about the effects that would be brought if school started later? At the moment, school clearly begins too early. This is a problem that is unquestionably bringing negative affects to many students. Many schools throughout the country are addressing this problem by considering school schedule changes including later start times for middle and high schools. Research indicates there are unfavorable effects to current school schedules, as well as well as positive effects to delayed start times. To best meet the needs of teens, school should start later.

Every morning students in the United States feel the effects the early start time many schools have implemented. These students are lethargic and inattentive, due to the lack of sleep they are getting every night. Typically, adults see these characteristics as the result of teenagers staying up late watching Netflix or using their cell phones. Many reputable organizations, such as the Centers for Disease Control and the American Academy of Pediatrics, have researched this problem and found that teenagers are lacking in sleep due to biological and physiological changes that are occurring within their brains. These shifts cause students to be more inattentive and reckless, resulting in lower grades, tardiness, and higher rates of car

Adolescents today face a widespread chronic health problem: sleep deprivation. Research shows that getting enough sleep is a biological necessity. Sleep is essential for a person’s health and wellbeing, according to the National Sleep Foundation (NSF). Teens are among those least likely to get enough sleep; while they need on average 9 1/4 hours of sleep per night for optimal performance and health and brain development, teens average fewer than 7 hours per school night, and most report feeling tired during the day (Nationwide Childrens, 2003). The root of the problem is early school start times.

Having a later start time for schools would result in an increase in safety in students. One risk that occur when schools start earlier, is the risk of students driving to school while still sleepy. This can result in life threatening car crashes if a student falls asleep behind the wheel. Studies provided by The Encyclopedia of School Health show that the average crash rate of teen drivers went down drastically with school districts that started later. Specifically, the research showed that “the average crash rate for teenage drivers dropped 16.5% in 2 years” (“School Start Times”). Another danger that is brought up with the safety of tired students, is their awareness when crossing streets and busy areas. While those who are tired can still look and check multiple

To sum up, early school start times negatively affect adolescents mental and physical health, their academic performance during school and it doesn’t let them get the recommended amount of sleep. For this reason, schools shouldn’t have an early starting time. Now it is time to change the start times for the health of all the

One of these benefits is that the students and the teachers would both obtain added sleep, therefore; their health would increase. The recommended hours of sleep a night for teens is over nine hours and an abundance of teens do not reach this number due to late nights and early mornings (Boergers, 1). If students received the recommended hours of sleep per night, their health would increase greatly. An immense health benefit of getting enough sleep per night is that it lowers depression (Boergers, 2). Some health risks that accompany not receiving enough sleep are obesity, drinking problems, tobacco smoking, and use of drugs (Viadero, 5). Sleep deprivation can also cause anxiety and depression. Therefore, if schools started later, students would, overall, be healthier. Another pro to arriving at school later would be the

Research has shown that in schools with a later start time absences and tardies had significantly declined. Also with a later start to school teachers and students would have more time to get ready. Students would not have to wait outside their

It's 6 am, still pitch black outside, you can't even hear the sound of birds chirping, and yet we as students are forced to fight our body clocks in order to get to class on time. Every morning thousands of students across the nation are awaked by the dreadful sound of their alarm clocks. It's no secret that not getting the sufficient amount of sleep can lead to many problems, especially in teens. For that reason, both the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Center for Disease Control both recommend moving middle-and-high-school start times to 8:30 am, or later. Yet most recent studies show that during the year 2011-12 only 17.7% of the US’s public middle and high schools met the quota, and in over 40 US states 75% percent of schools begin earlier than 8:30.

It has a financial effect for college, better grades mean more chances for scholarships. In a study from Wake County, North Carolina, they examined how start times affect the performance of middle school students on standardized tests. They found that delaying school start times by one hour, from roughly 7:30 to 8:30, increased standardized test scores by at least 2 percentile points in math and 1 percentile point in reading (Edwards). These results suggest that delaying start times may be a cost-effective method of increasing student performance. Since the effect of later start times is stronger for the lower end of the distribution of test scores, later start times may be particularly effective in meeting accountability standards that require a minimum level of competency (Edwards). Changing the start time helps you get better grades, which may increase your chances of receiving scholarships, reducing your spending for

“Most people in america don’t get enough sleep, but sleep needs change as we age. So discover the hows and whys so that you can get back to those restful nights” (sleep.org). Health advocates are pushing districts to move the first bell later for adolescents. Between hours and hours of homework, after-school sports, and band practice, it can be hard for kids to find the time to sleep. Kids need a certain amount of sleep so that they can get their full rest for school. School should start at later times because

An alarm’s sole purpose in life is to shatter the hopes and dreams of students worldwide every morning. It sits on your bedside table at night, counting down the minutes until it can herald a new day and scream like a banshee to jar you from your peaceful slumber. Admittedly, many people experience the wrath of their alarm, but mornings are much worse for students who have to claw themselves out of the warm comfort that is their bed and into the cold, harsh world while resembling the love child of Freddie Krueger and Frankenstein’s monster. Of course, schools could throw us poor teenagers a bone by pushing school start times back to 9:30. No one would be surprised if adults were to roll their eyes at this, but studies into teenagers’ sleeping patterns have shown that they are not getting the hours of sleep they need at night. A lack of a good night’s sleep impacts on a teenager’s health, mood

Why have schools not changed their start times; do they not care or do not believe that it matters to students that much? Our brains release the sleep hormone melatonin as a signal that allows us to fall and stay asleep. In preteens and adults, the secretion of melatonin is flexible and variable, and sleep timing preferences are genetically based. But the timing is different in teens, as it is related to puberty. Looking back to John's day, his mom had been waking up at 5:30 am for 10

Sleep is very important for everyone. It is especially important for adolescents who are still developing. Brain development and recharging of the body are both things that take place while an adolescent sleeps. Without enough sleep, the body isn’t prepared for the next day. The body needs to get the recommended hours of sleep or it won’t perform to its best ability. In adolescents, this is an issue because scientists are finding teens are getting less and less hours of sleep due to hectic schedules causing their bodies to be worn out. Research is showing that by having schools start later, teens are getting the sleep they need to be awake and alert for the next day. Today, most schools start around 8:00 am or earlier at about 7:30 am. School

In discussions of whether or not schools should start later, one controversial issue has been that it gets in the way of parents work schedules. People who believe that it’s too much of an inconvenience claim that it’s never too soon to start getting used to an early schedule. On the other hand, those who believe schools should start later assert that it’s much better for a student's concentration and overall health. My own view is there are more benefits than negatives and we should really start to consider such a change.