By Kynslee Morth / For The Herald
School start times need to change. Current data from youth risk behavior survey says that 77.3% of high school students do not get enough sleep on school nights.
After-school activities will be affected, but sleep and health is more important than sports.
If school start times increased by just an hour it would benefit so many things. Changing the start times could come with some problems, however it could easily be solved. A lot of car accidents happen on your way to school because people are so tired. This is very dangerous for not just the person driving but other people as well. Another reason is when school starts later kids are less likely to get sick because they have a stronger immune system. If kids had stronger immune systems, they would come to school more often because they wouldn’t be sick. Kids who get the extra hour of sleep would also make them more likely to come to school because they wouldn’t be so tired. As a result, it would be a lot safer for school start times to change.
Also, school start times really affect mental health, which can affect their school days and outside of school. So, when teenagers don’t get enough sleep, they seem to struggle with mental and physical health and poor grades. Teenagers typically get 7 to 7.5 hours of sleep per night, but teenagers need 8 to 10 hours of sleep to be successful in school. Kids not getting enough sleep is a big reason why behavior and grades have gotten bad. There is chronic sleep deprivation across the country but more specifically in teenage students. By starting school later, students are more likely to get the recommended amount of rest, which improves concentration, memory, and emotional regulation. If school started later this problem would not be as bad. So school should start later because of mental and physical health.
Changing school start times can have a significant positive impact on students and academic performance. Research shows that teenagers naturally have later sleep cycles, and early start times often lead to sleep deprivation. By starting school later in the morning, students can get the rest they need, which improves focus, mood, and overall health. Additionally, schools that have implemented later start times have reported better attendance rates, fewer tardies, and even improved grades. Shifting the school day to align more closely with students’ biological clocks supports both their physical and mental development, creating a healthier and more effective learning environment.
Shifting school start times to later in the morning is not just a matter of convenience, it’s a necessary step for supporting the health, well-being, and academic for students. Research consistently shows that kids/teens benefit significantly from more sleep, including improved focus, reduced stress, and better overall performance. By aligning school schedules with students’ natural sleep cycles, we can create a more effective and compassionate learning environment.
It’s time to prioritize student health and success by making this important change.
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