Argumentative Essay: Why Should High Schools Start Later?

1883 Words8 Pages

Bzzzz! Bzzzz! The alarm sounds. Still exhausted and tired, the teen student smashes the snooze button. The student has become lethargic because of the copious amounts of homework and studying having to be done. Sound familiar? This seems like an ongoing struggle for teens all across America, according to multiple sources. On average, teenagers need to get about nine and a half hours of sleep each night. “"Teenagers need over nine hours sleep a night, and it looks like a large number of teens don't get sufficient sleep ... part of that relates to the time that high schools begin," said study author Dr. Robert Vorona, an associate professor of internal medicine in the Division of Sleep Medicine at Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk, …show more content…

More sleep would benefit the student by making them feel more animated. If the student is more awake, it will be easier for them to stay focused on their school work. Students need to be able to focus in order to maintain the grade point averages they need to be accepted into college. If a student has a giant examination the following day, they sometimes stay up very late to get last minute studying in. If a student is up until two in the morning, and has to get up early for school, they may not be physically and mentally prepared for the day ahead, and may do poorly on the test. If a student was to get more sleep, they would also have more energy for activities outside of school, such as athletics. Athletics are an important part of many students’ lives. Athletics give students the opportunity to get moving and stay active. If school was to start later, a student would have more time to rest in between practices. The more rest a student has, then the better one’s performance may be. Students may need athletics for scholarships, and if one is physically exhausted, one cannot perform to one’s best ability. More sleep also benefits the student’s health. Teenagers typically need more sleep in order for their bodies to function properly. Not having enough sleep can really take a toll on some students. Sleep deprivation can cause anyone to feel weak. A student may not be able to get through a full day without falling asleep in class if they do not get enough rest from the night before. Having school later would permit students to rejuvenate their systems, and get them organized for the day ahead. School days should start later, so students can all get some much needed