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.
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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.
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What's happening?
Being moody, tired and sleeping all the time is labelled as "just what teens are like". But some expertsSomeone who knows a lot about a particular subject. say that schools are to blameResponsible for a bad thing happening. .
Teenage brains create the sleep hormoneChemicals carried in the bloodstream that alter the way your body's systems act. later at night than kids' and adults' brains. This means that teenagers often go to bed later and wake-up later. Even so, many have to be at school for 8am.
One study showed that when students in their mid-teens started school at 10am instead of 8.30am, they did better at school and even became ill less often.
Find out more
Should school start later?
Yes! Teenagers would be happier and healthier if school started later. And it would help teachers too - teenagers are too sleepy to learn at 8am.
No! Teenagers might just go to bed even later if they knew they did not have to wake up early. This would not change anything - and it would be very unhelpful for working parents if school times changed.
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Keywords
Experts - Someone who knows a lot about a particular subject.
Blame - Responsible for a bad thing happening.
Hormone - Chemicals carried in the bloodstream that alter the way your body's systems act.
Lack of sleep is a health crisis says expert
You snooze, you lose? : Experts are describing teen sleep deprivation as an “epidemic". Glossary
Experts - Someone who knows a lot about a particular subject.
Blame - Responsible for a bad thing happening.
Hormone - Chemicals carried in the bloodstream that alter the way your body's systems act.