Sleep for Students

 Introduction 

In society, students in high school are failing classes caused by tiredness. This tiredness is caused by lack of sleep. Students are not getting enough sleep because they are forced to wake up at unreasonable times to prepare for school and catch the bus. Relevance/Textual Evidence - The American Academy of Pediatrics finds that “lack of sleep in teenagers as a key public health issue that definitely affects the health and safety, along with the academic accomplishments, of our nation’s middle and high school graduates” (School Start Times for Adolescents).

Thesis

All schools should later the start time so students can get enough sleep, improve in academics, and to benefit their health and life quality. Body Paragraph One: All Schools should later the start time to improve adolescents sleep. High school students need more sleep. The American Academy of Pediatrics Find that “Teenagers need 8.5 to 9.5 hours of sleep a night when they are currently getting 6.5 to 7.5 on average” (School Start Times for Adolescents). The extra one to two hours help the students be more active in their workspace. The right amount of sleep is essential for students to achieve their full potential. The school starting time is the main changeable cause of sleep deprivation in these young teenagers. According to recent pediatric studies, “high school students typically wake up between 5:45 AM and 6:30 AM to get prepared and dressed for school.

Their biological inclination for falling asleep is around 11 PM with their natural time to get up at around 8 AM.” (Wahlstrom) The later starting time allows students to have more time to prepare for the day and have more time to rest. Changing the school start time will benefit all students and teachers by having more time to prepare. Body Paragraph Two: Schools should start later to improve students’ academics. Changing the school start time will give students more time to do work By changing the school start time, students will be able to complete their work. This allows adolescents to have time to finish any work not done and study for tests and quizzes before school starts. Later school start times will benefit students’ academics by allowing them to have more time to study and finish their homework. Starting school later allows the young graduates to make up time for after school activities.

Many students have after school activities preventing them from completing homework and studying. Changing the school start times will allow the adolescents who participate in after school activities time to complete their homework and have studying time. This will help student by letting them make up time that after school activities block. Body Paragraph Three: Schools should start later to improve students’ health. Lack of sleep can cause physical and mental health problems. Research finds that, “An innocent (25 minute) delay in school start time was associated with symbolic improvements in sleep duration, daytime tiredness, mood, and caffeine use” (Boergers). Students with bad health conditions have more of a chance of becoming ill.

A rise in ill students will increase the amount of school absences.

Conclusion 

The current high school start time is too early and is unfair for the students. There is not enough time for adolescents to sleep and to complete their homework. Lack of sleep can affect students’ academics by causing drowsiness throughout the day. Sleep deprivation also can negatively affect students’ health physically and mentally.

By changing the high school start time, students will have enough time to do after school activities and complete all work assigned to them, reach the needed amount of sleep for their age and health, and improve their overall academics and attention span.

Works Cited Group

1. Adolescent Sleep Working, et al. “School Start Times for Adolescents.” Pediatrics, American Academy of Pediatrics, 1 Sept. 2014, pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/134/3/642.abstract Wahlstrom, Kyla.
2. “School Start Time and Sleepy Teens.” Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, American Medical Association, 1 July 2010,
3. jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/article-abstract/383378 Boergers, Julie, et al. “Later School Start Time Is Associated with Improved Sleep... : Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics.” LWW, 2014,
4. journals.lww.com/jrnldbp/Abstract/2014/01000/Later_School_Start_Time_Is_Associated_with.2.aspx

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