Later School Start Times

As the day goes by, and as we do our normal daily activities such as taking out the trash or driving to school we are using energy to accomplish these functions, and do them with ease. This energy that we get does not just magically appear out of nowhere, but where we do get that energy is from the power of sleep. Sometimes if we have a lack of sleep it causes us to forget important ideas or events or makes us become clumsy with accomplishing our everyday activities which includes for most of us going to school.

For students it is nearly impossible to complete a math assignment if they have to wake up early. Schools should start later due to the fact that school gives us basic knowledge of how to make the healthiest decisions for ourselves and others in the future and sleep gives students energy to complete average functions, and activities in school. Sleep should be the far most important necessity when it comes to how students accomplish their tasks and goals throughout the day. In fact, “the average graduation rate rose from 79 percent to 88 percent” (School Schedules 5) after raising the start time in Central Connecticut State University to 8:30 am. After much the evidence was drawn in from the stat chart it proved later school start times could be effectively maneuvered into our school lives which means it could most likely be effective in other schools because of the increased amount of sleep the students would get from this improvement. “Sleep deprivation can lead to depression, stress, suicidal thoughts, delinquent behavior, obesity, car crashes and poor academic performance” (Cohen). Having sleep deprivation can actually be incredibly harmful if students do not get enough sleep because the evidence points towards how sleep deprivation actually lowers your health to an incredible amount and causes students to lose the grip of their ability to stay focused at school and activities during the day.

Sleep is a very important aspect that we all greatly need to obtain energy and to complete activities that may seem difficult if the body has not had enough sleep. School is a very important part in our society today, it prepares us for our future jobs, and also gives us knowledge about the healthy decisions we should make in the future. In fact, an article states “Your younger years are when you develop many long-term habits regarding your health” (Goral). Which means that sleep really is a starting point in healthy decisions you should make in the future, and decisions a student makes right now in the present that determine how well you are able to successfully do an activity. According to an article which states “While sleep deprivation can eventually cause death” (Sleep 3948).

While some schools will not let the school start times start later evidence shows us that sleep is a major role in our capable abilities in our regular life, and is a very important role to how healthy we are in the present, but as well as our health in the future. Sleep is so important that if we don’t get enough sleep we can eventually die which shows us that sleep is energy, and power that we need in our everyday lives, including students lives because of all the stress, and work students have to deal with throughout the day. Sleep is a huge part of our everyday lives, and if we as students do not get enough of that it can cause short term side effects, and long-term side effects. But some people believe that sleep is not the cause of poor attendance rates and low grade averages.

In fact, “many people assume that our use of smartphones and tablets keeps us from sleeping” (Goral). This statement is very true, but as we all know that can be avoided by asking your parents to put your phone someplace without your knowledge of knowing where it is or you can even silence your phone so you don’t hear dings all night which as well keep you awake. Students waking up early for schools is not the choice of the student, but the choice of the school staff to look at the full perspective of the unhealthiness of going to bed late and waking up incredibly early which can cause controversy on whether or not teachers and congressman in the state should take action on changing the school times from early to later in the morning. Another theory that supports the idea that early school start times is a better solution is that later school start times can cause a delay in the activities after school, and could cause a delay in our daily routine.

This is true to some point, but according to an article which states “and they(students) need eight to ten hours of sleep per night to support optimal health”(Goral). If students don’t get those eight to ten hours of sleep every night the students won’t even be able to do their extracurricular activities to their full capacity. Sleep is the most important part and role to how we get energy, and get throughout the day, and nothing can change that. Based on the evidence it is clear that sleep is a necessity for students to accomplish their goals in school in the present, but also their future. The students need the knowledge to accomplish whatever dream they want to be in the future and as teachers and mature adults we need to give the students that availability.

Later school start times are the best way to go, and improve the mind and body of the student. The student should get the healthiest opportunity that teachers and school staff can give them including giving them more sleep. As students step into the future with technological advances and achievements it is important that students keep their minds sharp, and the adults to set the future for our future hard-working adults and to keep them healthy with the power of sleep.

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