Experts explain the science behind later school start times
For many teenagers, the hardest part of the school day may begin well before the first bell rings: waking up when their brains are still wired for sleep.
Pennsylvania's updated School Code has opened the door for school districts to consider shifting the start of the school day later, aiming to better accommodate teenagers' biological sleep patterns. Circadian rhythms shift during puberty, causing adolescents to naturally feel sleepier later at night and need more sleep in the morning.
This is not simply due to teenagers staying up too late; it is a matter of misalignment between school schedules and teen sleep biology. Major medical organizations, such as the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, recommend that teenagers aged 13 to 18 get 8 to 10 hours of sleep each night. However, early school schedules can make this challenging.
Research has shown that later start times can lead to longer sleep duration, reduced daytime sleepiness, fewer absences, better academic performance, and greater overall well-being. Sleep experts argue that later start times can also improve safety, as sleep deprivation can impair reaction time, information processing, and alertness, especially among inexperienced drivers.
While personal habits and screen time are important, they cannot fully solve the issue of misaligned sleep patterns. Changes in school start times require consideration of factors such as transportation, athletics, after-school jobs, and family schedules. However, sleep advocates contend that these practical challenges should be weighed against the growing body of evidence supporting later start times for teenagers.
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