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Sleep Deprivation In High Schools

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The Huffington Post claims that about 90% of American High School Students are chronically sleep deprived. Sleep deprivation is a serious problem for teenagers, as it can lead to a number of problems. First, there are mood problems like irritability and crankiness. It can also lead to behavioral problems like drinking, driving fast, and engaging in other dangerous activities. Drowsy driving can also happen, with teens at the highest risk of falling asleep at the wheel. However, two of the most detrimental effects are impacts in cognitive function and academic performance. Teens who don’t get enough sleep can have problems with attention and memory, leading to poorer grades in school. According to the Sleep Foundation, “Teens spend a great portion …show more content…

They found that before the later start, the graduation rate was 79%. Only 2 years after it was implemented, it was 88%. Another study, by Kyla Wahlstrom of the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, showed that attendance rates also increased with a start time of 8:35am. This study, by Wahlstrom, lasted three years and studied 9,000 students in 8 different high schools. These studies show that pushing back the start times of schools vastly improve graduation and attendance records. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine believes that it can do much more than just improve records. They state that it could also help with mental health and psychological well being. Pamela McKeever reciprocates their opinion belief, saying “So much research explains the impact of insufficient sleep on suicide, substance abuse, depression, auto accidents and more,” (Crist). According to the CDC, suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death among 12-19 year olds. Sleep deprivation is a serious problem that causes a wide array of problems, but we can start to solve it by pushing back school start times.
In conclusion, I would like to propose a piece of legislation that requires schools to start no earlier than

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In her article “Let Kids Sleep Later,” Terra Snyder argues that schools should push back start times to allow for more sleep for students. Snyder cites research that shows that adolescents need 8-10 hours of sleep per night, but many are not getting enough due to early school start times. She also provides examples of schools that have successfully pushed back start times and seen improvements in attendance, academic performance, and overall student health. While some may argue that early start times prepare students for the "real world," Snyder makes a compelling case for why the benefits of later start times outweigh the potential drawbacks.

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Later High school start time are linked to academic performance. According to Sifferlin,in When Sleep and School Don’t Mix, the school has seen so many improvements among student since it required them to be at school start later. The percentage of late students dropped around 3% from the 2011-2012 school year to to the 2013-2014 school year. The number of student falling classes dropped 2.2% and the absentee rate dropped 1.5%.This reveals that kids were arriving on time and the number of student falling classes decreased at least by 2 percent. The article also states “ Stating school later is the best interest of the student when there is a will there has got to be a way.

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Lack of sleep can cause short term effects like headaches or mood changes, but it can also contribute to more major issues like heart disease or high blood pressure. It can also impact memory and attention span, which causes problems with attending school. These effects can be extremely harmful and can put many students at risk of health problems. Semuels interviewed a student who has a particularly busy schedule. Her say starts off at 3pm with class, and she continued to work through the night and into the next day, “That afternoon she attended a parent-teacher conference, capping off more than 24 hours straight of work and school with no sleep.”

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starting times begin at 7 A.M in the morning, making teenagers wake up around 5:00 A.M to 6:30 A.M. causing teenagers that stayed up last night weary and fatigued when they arrive at school. Sleep is an enormous part of growth, health, and prevention of stress, think about what happens when you lack sleep. Almost anybody that is exhausted will have lack of focus throughout the day. 28% of tired students tend to fall asleep in their first class causing a harmful grade. Some sleepy students do not even bother to show up to school, contributing to drop out rates and damaging grades to rise.

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763 Words | 4 Pages

Not getting enough sleep is not only unhealthy, it dangerous. In the article “Sleep to Succeed” it shows how any teens really do need sleep. They wouldn’t be able to function without it. If we don’t, we won’t be able to be social or have good grades. In this article it also states “Sleep deprivation is a serious issue for many teens.

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A good night's sleep is key for both emotional and physical health. Children who regularly don't get enough sleep have a much higher risk of serious diseases later in life. "Why school should start later in the morning" by Emily Richmond quotes "Both the CDC and the pediatricians' group cited significant risks that come with lack of sleep. Those include higher rates of obesity,

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Skipping sleep can be harmful and sometimes even deadly, particularly if you are behind the wheel. You can look bad, you may feel moody, and may not act as you usually do. Sleepiness can make it hard to get along with your family and friends and hurt your performance at school Teenagers need about 8 to 10 hours of sleep each night to function best. Most teenagers do not sleep enough. Only about 15% of teenagers reportedly sleep 8 1/2 hours on school nights.

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First, millions of middle and high schoolers are fighting with their alarm clocks as they go through another educational school year. Most students struggle to get up early, and parents scuffle just to get them out of bed and off to school. Anne Wheaton, the lead author and epidemiologist in the CDC’s Division of Population Health, said in a statement, “Early school start times, however, are preventing

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977 Words | 4 Pages

A report by Newsweek says that “Perpetual lack of sleep is tied to diabetes, heart disease, obesity, depression and a shortened life span in adults, underscoring the importance of establishing good sleep habits early in life”(1). We may be fine without sufficient sleep now, but health consequences will show later in life. Diabetes, heart disease, and obesity are already big problems in America. An article by CNN says that “Adolescents that go to sleep at midnight or later are also more likely to suffer from depression and have suicidal thoughts” (1). The mental health of students at Clarke should not be overlooked.

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596 Words | 3 Pages

Quarter 1 Assessment: Annotated Bibliography Thesis Statement: Due to adolescent sleep patterns, school needs to start at 10:00AM Source 1: The UCLA Health website tells how teenage sleep patterns differ from adults, due to changing bodies, and internal sleep clocks. This informational database is based on college research. The title of this page is “Sleep and Teens”.

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“ Research is clear that adolescents who get enough sleep don’t have reduced Rick of being overweight or suffering depression, are less likely to be involved in automobile accidents, and have better grades higher standardized test scores and a overall better quality in life. (Judith

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In a study conducted by the National Sleep Foundation, they found that “Adolescents that go to sleep at midnight or later are also more likely to suffer from depression and have suicidal thoughts”(Start Times are Unhealthy to Students). While suicidal thoughts can lead to serious long-term problems for a specific student, but for those around them as well. Likely the most effective reason why schools should push back their start times is that of the fact that they pose a problem to teenage drivers. Findings made by the American Academy of Sleep Societies say that “There are data that demonstrate that lack of sleep has negative consequences for teens," he said. "And some data show that younger drivers are more likely to have crashes when they have inadequate sleep”(Holohan).

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1950 Words | 8 Pages

Web. 8 Jan. 2018. McKeever, Pamela Malaspina, and Linda Clark. " Delayed High School Start Times Later Than 8:30 Am And Impact On Graduation Rates And Attendance Rates.

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724 Words | 3 Pages

Lack of sleep increases students chances of depression and suicidal thoughts. It can also potentially weaken the immune system. The school day is hard enough on a child and not getting enough sleep does not make it any better. School

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954 Words | 4 Pages

There was also a 58% increase in suicide attempts. Teens that get around six hours a night are three times more likely to suffer from depression. Another negative impact from poor sleep are long term effects for a young person 's physical health. Bad sleep can lead to obesity and diabetes for teens and high schoolers who already skimp on sleep have a higher risk of diabetes in the future. As an already obese teen, losing sleep can also increase the risk of getting diabetes.

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