New research by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that most middle and high school students in the United States wake up too early because of their schools' early school days. Such start times increase their risk of suffering from sleep deprivation, health problems, and dangerous behavior. Most high school pupils do not get enough shut-eye.
The study was published in the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. It was based on 2011-2012 data from the U.S. Dept. of Education.
Early start times at school can have a negative impact on children's performance in the classroom. It can also affect their health.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) learned that only 18 percent of schools get started at 8:30 a.m. or later. That is among an estimated 39,700 middle, high, and combined institutions in the public school system.
In fact, the average start time of schools across the U.S. is a little after 8:00 a.m. Louisiana schools started the earliest, which was 7:40 a.m. on average, according to Rapid News Network. Alaska's 8:33 a.m. average start time was the latest in the entire country.
Researchers discovered that two-thirds of high school students suffer from sleep deprivation. The National Sleep Foundation recommends that teens between 14 and 17 years old get eight to 10 hours of sleep per night, according to Maine News Online.
Furthermore, health experts explain that teenagers who get too little sleep are at risk of a myriad of different health problems. They include higher risks of being overweight. Such youngers are also more likely to suffer depression and participate in risky behaviors, such as alcohol, cigarettes, and drugs.
Lead researcher Anne Wheaton is an epidemiologist (study of health and disease in populations). She explained that getting sufficient sleep is critical for the health, safety, and grades of students.
Still, early start times at school remain a problem. They are preventing several adolescents from getting enough sleep. AAP explained that adolescents' bodies are "programmed" to doze longer than adults in the morning.
In the District of Columbia where most students walk, or take a bus or subway to school, the first bell rings at 8:45 a.m. That late-starting school day has had positive results.