Should school start later? Some think we are setting teenagers up to fail with early hours in the classroom. There is a growing campaign to start lessons later.
Lack of sleep is a health crisis says expert
Should school start later? Some think we are setting teenagers up to fail with early hours in the classroom. There is a growing campaign to start lessons later.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading eplus-wrapper">Slumbering shenanigans</h2>
It is a memory we all have. Lying back in bed, ignoring the light peeking in and trying to catch a few more minutes of sleep in the morning. But suddenly the door opens and somebody comes storming in. "Wake up, slugabedA person who remains in bed due to laziness. !" they might cry. "The day is wasting away."
For teenagers, it is a common theme. Being moody, tired and sleeping all the time are dismissed as "just what teens are like". But some experts believe that schools are to blame.
Teenage brains create the sleep hormone melatoninA hormone produced by your brain in response to darkness. later at night than kids' and adults' brains. This means that teenagers may craveTo want something desperately. later nights and prefer to sleep into the day.
But in many countries, 8am remains the norm for school opening hours. Many teens are getting far less sleep than the eight to ten hours that experts suggest they should aim for.
One study showed that when students in their mid-teens started school at 10am instead of 8.30am, rates of illness decreased by more than half over the course of two years. Their grades also improved.
And those are only some of the benefits that come to the well-rested adolescentPeople who are still growing up, especially teenagers.. Other studies have shown that teenagers are at reduced risk of depression and obesityThe medical condition of being very overweight. There are many ways of measuring this, including a BMI of 30 or more. (You can work out your BMI by dividing your weight in kilograms by your height in metres squared.) when they get enough sleep.1
British children are the sixth most sleep-deprivedNot having the things that are needed for a pleasant or successful life. in the world, whilst American children top the rankings for lack of sleep.2 Data shows that only 32% of secondary school students in the UK get enough sleep during the school week.
Just a half-hour delay to the start of the school day could improve teachers' and students' health. But the problem would not be solved by later mornings alone. Some believe that we should teach a sleep curriculumThe subjects studied at school or during a course. in schools, full of lessons on how to sleep better.3 Resting is an art, just like everything else.
Should school start later?
Yes: All of the evidence suggests that teens would be healthier and happier if they started school later. For the sake of teachers and students alike, we should bring in this change.
No: The studies are inconclusiveLeading to no conclusion or definite result. and some suggest that teens would just sleep later if they had a later morning, meaning that nothing would improve.
Or... This change could not be done without changing the hours that adults work. Otherwise, adults would have to pay more to have their children supervised in the morning.
Slugabed - A person who remains in bed due to laziness.
Melatonin - A hormone produced by your brain in response to darkness.
Crave - To want something desperately.
Adolescent - People who are still growing up, especially teenagers.
Obesity - The medical condition of being very overweight. There are many ways of measuring this, including a BMI of 30 or more. (You can work out your BMI by dividing your weight in kilograms by your height in metres squared.)
Deprived - Not having the things that are needed for a pleasant or successful life.
Curriculum - The subjects studied at school or during a course.
Inconclusive - Leading to no conclusion or definite result.
Lack of sleep is a health crisis says expert

Glossary
Slugabed - A person who remains in bed due to laziness.
Melatonin - A hormone produced by your brain in response to darkness.
Crave - To want something desperately.
Adolescent - People who are still growing up, especially teenagers.
Obesity - The medical condition of being very overweight. There are many ways of measuring this, including a BMI of 30 or more. (You can work out your BMI by dividing your weight in kilograms by your height in metres squared.)
Deprived - Not having the things that are needed for a pleasant or successful life.
Curriculum - The subjects studied at school or during a course.
Inconclusive - Leading to no conclusion or definite result.