Why Schools Should Start Later

Why+Schools+Should+Start+Later

Miranda Shelton, Reporter

I think schools should start later because it would help students get the sleep they need, improve their performance in schools, and often students are very rushed in the mornings. Teenagers these days are usually balancing work, sports, work, then going home and having to then eat dinner, homework etc. By the end of the night when they are finished with everything, it is often around midnight, or even later.

     If school started even an hour later, most students would not feel as if they were being rushed in the morning. Waking up, some students feel stressed by making sure they get a good breakfast while focusing on not being late. Having one more hour in the morning would allow students to get more sleep, eat a breakfast without being rushed, and if needed, let the student complete any work.

     Teenagers tend to have an irregular sleep schedule across the week; they typically stay up late and sleep in on the weekends, which hurts their sleep schedule for the upcoming school week. Teenagers need about 8 to 10 hours of sleep each night for the best rest, and most only get about 5-6 hours.

     If students got the recommended 8-10 hours of sleep, their performance in school would improve because they would be well rested. Students who are more tired can’t learn at their best because they would be wanting to sleep, and not be learning. Getting the right amount of sleep would allow teenagers to have the right attitude, and not be wanting to sleep in class.

     Changing the school time in the morning could be difficult for many people, but I do believe it would benefit most students in the right way. Sleep deprivation is a reality for most students in high school and if school started even an hour later for students, I believe that students would be more rested with the extra time to sleep in the morning.