Should There Be Later School Start Times?

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For schools across the country, if you snooze, you lose. School start times have been a topic of debate for many years. Many students, parents, and educators believe that starting school later in the day would benefit students' health, academic performance, and overall well-being. The current early start times force students to wake up very early, which can lead to sleep deprivation and various health issues. Therefore, implementing later school start times could be a positive change that benefits everyone involved. To begin, one of the main reasons why school start times should be later is to combat sleep deprivation among students. According to the Opposing Viewpoints Database’s article “School Start Times”, teenagers need between 8 to 10 …show more content…
A study published in the journal "Sleep" found that students who started school later had higher test scores and better grades compared to those who started school early. Additionally, students who get enough sleep are more alert, attentive, and able to focus in class, which can lead to improved learning and a better memory. By adjusting school start times to align with students' natural sleep patterns, we can potentially enhance their academic success. In contrast, some people believe students simply need to get into a routine, and that early start times have worked in the past. However, later school start times benefit students' mental health and overall well-being. The “School Start Times” on the Opposing Viewpoints database states, “Frequent use of electronic devices has been linked to teens and insufficient sleep as well as mental health illnesses such as depression, anxiety, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).” These conditions can heavily impact teens’ livelihoods. By allowing students to get more sleep, we can help reduce their risk of developing mental health problems and improve their overall quality of