Jackle

Phillips

AP English

10 October 2018

Later School Hours

Current high school hours do not provide students with enough sleep on the correct sleep

schedule. Teenagers are biologically geared to go to sleep later and wake up later. A later start to

school, even by an hour, would improve both teenagers’ overall health and their performance in

school.

Sleep is a vital bodily function that every human needs. Different age groups need different

amounts of sleep. Teenagers need 8-10 hours of sleep, but most only get about seven hours at best,

myself included. Not only do we not get enough sleep, we are also on the wrong sleep schedule

because of school hours. According to Nationwide Children’s Hospital, “After puberty, there is a

biological shift in an adolescent’s internal clock of about 2 hours, meaning that a teenager who used

to fall asleep at 9:00 PM will now not be able to fall asleep until 11:00PM. It also means waking 2

hours later in the morning.” (“Sleep in Adolescents”) Thus teenagers get inadequate sleep on the

current high school bell schedule.

Sleep is important for the immune system, memory and many other bodily functions. School

is a breeding ground for illness. With 2800 kids in relatively close corters, all touching the same

desks, diseases spread. If you also factor in lack of sleep and weakened immune systems, chances

increase of a lot of people getting sick. The more people are sick, the more they are staying home,

and the more instructional time they are missing. Personally, I miss about eight days every year due

to sickness, in fact I am currently sick while writing this. This can leave a student with a lot of

makeup work and cause them to be behind.

Lack of sleep can also limit your ability to learn, especially if you fall asleep in class. The right

amount of sleep in essential for many cognitive abilities. According to Nationwide Children's
Hospital, ‘Inadequate sleep will result in problems with attention, memory, decision making, reaction

time, and creativity, all of which are important in school.” (“Sleep in Adolescents”) High school

students are not learning to their full potential with the current schedule. If we push back start time in

school by an hour or two, I think we would see significant change for the better.

Unfortunately, changing the schedule would create challenges. One of the main arguments

against changing the schedule is that older kids need to be home before younger siblings to watch

them. It is not fair to the high school student to compromise their health and wellbeing for the

daycare needs of others. Plus, this situation only applies to a small subset of students; many do not

have younger siblings that need after school care. There are other ways to take care of younger

siblings, whether it be after school programs provided by the school or personal babysitters and

daycare. Another argument used is the bus situation. There are not enough busses for all the

students in our area, especially when there is an overlap in the times schools get out. But there

could be more busses with better budgeting and possibly a few more taxpayer dollars. Everyone

hates the thought of more taxes, but we’ve got to ask ourselves which is more important, the health

and education of our future generation, or a few more taxes?

For the wellbeing of our future generation, high schools should start an hour or two later. If

lawmakers would rebudget, then after school programs could be offered at a reduced price for low

income families, and the busing issue could be resolved. High schoolers a need later start time to

better match their natural sleep cycle which would enable them to do their absolute best work to

prepare for our future.

Works Cited
 Olson, Eric J. “Can Lack of Sleep Make You Sick?” Mayo Clinic, Mayo

Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 9 June 2015,

www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/insomnia/expert-answers/lack-of-sleep/faq-

20057757

“Sleep in Adolescents.” Nationwide Children's Hospital,

www.nationwidechildrens.org/specialties/sleep-disorder-center/sleep-in-adolescents.

“Teens and Sleep.” National Sleep Foundation, www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-

topics/teens-and-sleep.
 After puberty, there is a biological shift in an adolescent’s internal clock of about

2 hours, meaning that a teenager who used to fall asleep at 9:00 PM will now not be

able to fall asleep until 11:00PM. It also means waking 2 hours later in the morning.

https://www.nationwidechildrens.org/specialties/sleep-disorder-

center/sleep-in-adolescents Inadequate sleep will result in problems with attention,

memory, decision making, reaction time, and creativity, all of which are important in

school.

Studies show that people who don't get quality sleep or enough sleep are more

likely to get sick after being exposed to a virus, such as a common cold virus.
 https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/insomnia/expert-answers/lack-of-

sleep/faq-20057757

● Biological sleep patterns shift toward later times for both sleeping and

waking during adolescence -- meaning it is natural to not be able to fall

asleep before 11:00 pm.

● Teens need about 8 to 10 hours of sleep each night to function best. Most

teens do not get enough sleep — one study found that only 15% reported

sleeping 8 1/2 hours on school nights.

https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-topics/teens-and-sleep

People also need down time and a mental break to relax. I know homework is necessary

but the extent and amount is debatable.

With infant they sleep most of the day because is needed in their growth and

development. In the first two years of a child’s life is when the most growth happens, the second

huge growth spurt is during adolescence and puberty. So just like people wouldn’t sleep deprive

a baby, why would society sleep deprived teenagers during a very vital time of development?

School. School is required. Homework is necessary. But is hours upon hours of homework

necessary? Don’t freak out...but could the solution possibly be assigning less work? Homework

affects the amount of sleep you get and the amount of time you can relax for your own mental

health.
 More homework equals less sleep equals less productivity in school which means less

education for more time spent doing work that is not done to its full potential.

Don’t freak out...but could the solution possibly be assigning less work?

First paragraph sleep

How much we need, how much we get, sleep schedule

Second paragraph affect health

Weaken immune Can get sick easier and school attendance

Third paragraph affect school performance

Congnitive ablitites

Fourth paragraph oppositions and rebuttal

Not time for extracurriculars, watch younger children (many school offer after school

programs, and schools can get out at the same time or 15 mins earlier than elementary schools)

Buses-what is more important the health and education of our future generation, our

some taxpayers dollar for more busses

Solution and conclusions