Wake up: Early school start times offsets students’ success; How waking up too soon damages education, engagement

     The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) says, “teenagers 13 to 18 years of age should sleep 8 to 10 hours per 24 hours on a regular basis to promote optimal health.” According to the Better Health Channel, most teenagers only get about six to seven hours sleep per night.

     AASM also states that the effects of sleep deprivation include attention, behavior, and learning problems. Insufficient sleep also increases the risk of accidents, injuries, hypertension, obesity, diabetes, and depression. If educators and local governments know the harmful results of a lack of sleep, then why have there been no precautions against it?

     The cognitive issues stated before are closely related to sleep deprivation. These skills are especially important for minors in school. Students need to be able to function regularly and effectively to have a successful education.

     At North Harford High School, the school day starts at 7:25 a.m. with the advisory period. If one student lives ten minutes away from school and needs 30 minutes to get ready in the morning, that means that they will wake up at 6:45 a.m. But if another student lives 30 minutes away and rides the bus, which takes an additional 15 minutes due to the other passengers, and takes one hour to get ready in the morning, they must wake up at 5:40 a.m. 

     So, if the second student who wakes up at 5:40 a.m. wants to get nine hours of sleep, they must go to bed at 8:40 p.m. Obviously, this is impractical. With extracurriculars, schoolwork, chores, and life in general, there is not enough time in a day to reach this expectation.

     Research from the National Institute of Mental Health explains that teens need more sleep than children and adults. “Melatonin (the“sleep hormone”) levels in the blood are naturally higher later at night and drop later in the morning in teens than in most children and adults.” This variation could explain why high school students tend to stay up later at night and struggle to get up in the morning.

     Learners cannot perform their best on tests, classwork, and discussions running on fumes. If Maryland wants to have a prospering youth, they must adjust their plans to make mental and physical health a priority. Teachers tend to become frustrated with the lack of participating and engaged students, but the fact is, they are not ready to engage cognitively.

     The Research and Development (RAND) Corporation knows that “most middle and high schools in the United States start at or before 8 a.m., forcing many teens to wake up by 6:30 a.m. or earlier, hours before their biological rhythms tell them they are ready and hours before they can get the amount of sleep they need.” Why should I be writing chemical equations and analyzing Shakespeare before the sun reaches its peak? As a sophomore, I only begin to feel fairly energized during the third period of the school day, which begins at 10:33 a.m.

     I understand that students and faculty must leave school at a reasonable time. But, as someone who is forced to rise at 5:45 a.m. to ride the school bus and usually goes to bed at 11:00 p.m., I would be fully energized and prepared if school started later. My opinion may not be important to you, but even the American Academy of Pediatrics agrees with me when they say middle and high schools should start at 8:30 am or later “to give students the opportunity to get the amount of sleep they need.”