I think I can speak for everyone when I say I would absolutely love it if school started later. More time to sleep! When I’d show up at school, I wouldn’t look like a zombie! According to recent studies, students would be more successful in school if districts adjusted their start time to the biological clock of students. The older we are, the more we want to sleep in. The younger we are, the more likely we are to naturally wake up earlier. If school districts adjusted their start times to the results of these studies, students would perform better because their body and mind would be on a healthier schedule. Especially with middle and high school students, they go to bed later due to their rigorous schedules and like to sleep in. With new adjusted times, their needs for their growing bodies and minds could be met, and nobody would be complaining! 

According to a study done by Science Advances, students who slept better achieved better grades and attendance in school. Isn’t that the dream? (Get it? Dream? Sleep?) Everyone has had days where they’ve slept through all their alarms and almost missed the entirety of first period. 

The researchers in this study also found that a later start time is highly associated with increased academic performance, reduced sleepiness, and an increase in punctuality. Students were closer to being “model” students with a later start time. Whatever magic they worked there, I want some of it!

Poor sleeping habits have also been  linked with a reliance on caffeine, tobacco, and alcohol, according to the AAP’s Adolescent Sleep Working Group. It’s even linked with a higher percentage of car accidents! Sleep deprivation is dangerous!

Guess you didn’t think sleep was this important, huh? Well, if you’ve become highly interested in learning more about how sleep links with school, search it up on the web. There are so many articles on it! Knock yourself out! (See what I did there?)

By Jassi Chahal