A Teenager Speaks Out – Teens Need More Sleep
I came across this nicely written piece by a teenager in his local newspaper, The Estacada News.
Zzz…Teenagers need more sleep
School board should consider late start for high school, junior high students
BY RUSS CAREY
It is time for the Estacada School District to switch the school starting time of the high school and junior high schools with that of the grade schools. Today’s teens are sleep-deprived.
There are many studies that clearly show that teens need more sleep that they are getting. I believe that the junior high and high school classes should begin later in the morning to help solve this problem.
At present, classes for high school and junior high school students begin at 7:45 a.m., and grade school classes begin at 9:05 a.m. I would like to propose switching these two times. My reasons: Teenagers have more homework, more extra-curricular activities and require more sleep than younger children. This change would give the older students the extra time for the sleep they need to succeed.
This is just one more example of how common sense didn’t prevail. Most young kids need to be in bed early and yes, they have less homework (hopefully) and less after school stuff and can get in bed and get up and to school by 8 without feeling exhausted and tired. And, for parents who have to leave for work, it solves the problem in the mornings for individuals who have a difficult time rearranging their schedules to accommodate child care in the morning sometimes find themselves in a jam. Child care in the evening for children is a bit easier because of so many place who handle young children in groups in the early afternoon
Where as most junior high and high school students are capable of preparing for school and could sleep a bit more in the mornings, get to school, participate in school and extra activities and still have time at home to actually see the other people in the house. And, I know the naysayers will say that if they go to school late they will just do activities later into the night and it defeats the purpose. But, the thing is, on game days, those games can’t be played 8 in the morning, and with a late start on the school day, students can get the extra rest they need eve it means they go to bed a little later. It’s not all about sleep need but sleep cycles and when a teenagers body responds to sleep hormones.
Stepping off my soapbox now as I’ve yet to get out of bed and I am not a teenager….ahhhhh sleep, precious sleep
March 16th, 2010 at 8:52 am
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