Waking up early in the morning, preparing yourself for the day, and going to school to learn for more than six hours is exhausting. On top of that, most students are barely reaching the recommended time of sleep required for teens. “About 69 percent of high school students report sleeping 7 hours or less on school nights.” (American Academy of Sleep Medicine). One reason students don’t get enough sleep is because school starts too early. Many people disagree with school start times because of the negative effect they have on students, and even teachers. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “93% of high schools and 83% of middle schools in the U.S. started before 8:30 a.m.” These start times need to change.
One major problem with students starting school so early is sleep deprivation. Sleep is very important for the human body, especially as a growing teen. According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHI), “Sleep plays a vital role in good health and well-being throughout your life…In children and teens, sleep also helps support growth and development.” Sleep deprivation not only induces negative health effects, but also impacts school performance. Without the right amount of sleep, students tend to have a more difficult time in school. They become overly stressed and tired, causing them to lose focus easily. Sleep deprivation does not only affect teens’ academics but also their health. “Getting inadequate sleep over time can raise your risk for chronic (long-term) health problems. It can also affect how well you think, react, work, learn, and get along with others.” (NIH).
Some people may say that instead of creating later school start times, teens should simply go to bed early. While this may be efficient for some students, it isn’t for many others. Most highs school students have after school activities, clubs, and sports, along with a decent amount of homework. With these events running late it can make going to bed early difficult. Therefore, pushing back school start times would be the only fully effective solution.
Goffstown High School should push back the school start time. Due to starting around 8 o’clock, most students aren’t able to get enough sleep which has many negative effects. Some effects include, poor academic performance, negative health effects, and unwanted stress. Starting the day at a later time and getting a good night’s sleep, according to the CDC, “…will enable adolescents to be healthier and better academic achievers.”
Works Cited
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. “Schools Start Too Early.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC, 5 Oct. 2022, www.cdc.gov/sleep/features/schools-start-too-early.html.
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. “How Sleep Works – Why Is Sleep Important?” Www.nhlbi.nih.gov, 24 Mar. 2022, www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/sleep/why-sleep-important#:~:text=During%20sleep%2C%20your%20body%20is.
Paprocki, Jonathan. “Help Your Teen Recharge with Sleep.” Sleep Education, 16 Aug. 2016, sleepeducation.org/help-your-teen-recharge-sleep/.
