Teens sleep is good for health since it helps the body and mind to refresh and reenergize. A body with a fresh mind can perform more tasks during the day. The level of concentration is higher among people who get the recommended time of sleeping between six and eight hours, but for teens, it can be as much as 9 to 9.5 hours.
The sleep clocks of the youth and senior adults differ significantly. The teens’ biological clocks drive them to go to sleep late and wake up late in the morning. However, such a scenario exerts pressure on the school going teens since most schools start early.
There is growing evidence that it is beneficial for teens to get extended sleeping time in the morning. No matter how short the period can be, it makes a difference among the teens. As such, Seattle later school start seems to reap benefits for the teens in schools. Teens need their sleep!
Later School Start
School authorities around the country are facing increased pressure to consider a later start time of classes. There is evidence that shows that sleep deprivation among the teens exposes them to risks of mental and physical problems.
As such, Seattle is no longer sleepless. School and city officials are leading the initiative to implement changes to the shift in start time for middle and high school. The district moved the official start time to 8:45 a.m from 7:50 a.m, nearly an hour later.
The initiative was not an easy feat since it meant reorganizing the schedules for bus routes as well as other extracurricular activities. Two years down the line, the teens are using the extra time to sleep in. According to the University of Washington Researchers, the students got 34 additional minutes for sleep following the later school start time.
The students now have a total sleep time of seven hours and twenty-four minutes up from about six hours and fifty minutes. The boost is significant though it appears as if it is little time. The other important thing is that the delay in school start time aligns with the natural wake-up periods for the adolescents.
Impacts Of Sleep Deprivation
Sleep deprivation is an issue of concern that can affect the mental and physical health of the different people in the long run. People who fail to get proper sleeping time often experience problems such as lack of concentration in various things they do. Daytime fatigue is another issue that affects people who lack sufficient sleep.
Teens who lack proper rest perform poorly in their schoolwork. According to one science teacher at Franklin High School in Seattle, students faced numerous problems before the shift to later school start.
Before the change of start time from 7:50 a.m to 8:30 a.m, students experienced a hard time to concentrate as well as to engage them in brief discussions. According to the teacher, “there was lots of yawning,” and it was hard to teach the students. When the brain is tired, it can barely concentrate.
The other major problem with sleep deprivation is that students may miss school. Adolescents usually get to sleep around midnight, and they wake up a bit late. The issue of comfort can also play a role in determining one's quality of rest.
On top of that, other factors like using quality mattresses like Leesa & Nectar can also help to improve quality sleep. There are many advantages of choosing the nest mattress such as giving you some comfort you desire. Other beds are designed for all sleepers, and they help promote more extended sleep periods.
Benefits Of Later School Start
According to the study, there is a link between better academic performance and getting more sleep. The kids who took their Biology subject after the introduction of later class start time attained better grades that were higher than the previous class by about 4.5%.
According to de la Iglesia, the difference between the performances of these two groups shows that sleep deprivation affects performance. People who experience sleep deprivation find it challenging to learn as well as to retain new information.
More students were able to learn and engage after the time switch. The numbers of students who were poor learners decreased significantly following the time switch. The cases of absenteeism also declined thereby placing Franklin High School students on the same level as students from a high-income school.
The later start time initiative enabled the students to get to school on time. The grades of learners in schools that introduced later start times also increased significantly. The, however, is still unusual among different school districts across the country.
Many schools are warming to the idea of moving the start times to 8:30 a.m. This period will give the students at least eight and a half hours of sleep per night. The American Academy of Pediatrics hopes that later start times will significantly help to improve the performance of the students.
Why Is Extra Sleep Crucial For Teens?
Teens need a little extra sleep in the morning, and this can help to improve their performance in school in particular. The biological clock of children changes once they reach puberty. The adolescents fall asleep later than young kids and adults.
As a result, the teens wake up a bit later than the adults. According to the research, the bedtime remains constant, but the kids get extra sleeping time in the morning when school starts later. Instead of dosing or yawning in early class, the kids have the opportunity to extend their rest for a few minutes when school starts later.
The students from lower socio-economic families do not enjoy similar privileges like their counterparts from higher level income neighborhoods. As such, an initiative to improve their learning experience can go a long way in improving their performance.
The findings of the study are exciting in that an additional 34 minutes of sleep among the students make an impact. Every minute counts when it comes to sleeping since the mind needs proper rest. The kid can find rest in those few minutes rather than look tired in the morning.
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