Most teenagers are not fond of waking up early; in fact, many would prefer sleeping until the morning fades well into the afternoon. Studies show that teens need at least eight or nine hours of sleep per night. They also show that more than half of American teens are only getting seven hours of sleep or less per night.
This lack of sleep is due to many factors.
Teenagers today balance homework, sports, extra-curriculars, part-time jobs, as well as their allotted instant message/texting/cell phone time each night. Also, teens' biological clocks just aren't set for a 9 p.m. bedtime. Instead, they often wait until 11 p.m. or later to hit the sack, and must wake up by 6:30 a.m. or earlier to get to school on time.
Schools often adjust their start times to better accommodate after school activities. Spring Grove Area Senior High School moved its start time from 7:45 a.m. to 7:20 a.m. at the start of the 2005 school year. Students now complete their school day at 2:30 p.m. instead of 3:00 p.m.
Student athletes miss less instructional time because of sporting events and after-school activities are often held earlier than they were before the start-time shift.
Unfortunately, these benefits do not compensate for students constantly feeling tired.
Sadly, busy teens do not have time for those eight hours of sleep when they must wake up by 6 a.m. This would suggest that a teen should be asleep by 10 p.m., an impossible task when many teens don't even get off work or home from away sporting events until 10.
Schools should truly think about students' well-being before moving up start times. If test scores and comprehension of material are really a top concern, the answer is to push back the morning bell, not move it forward.
Abby, I must disagree. The answer is not to move the start time of school back, but (for seniors, at least) rather eliminate it. I'm sure it would save the tax-payers money, or someone. Here's to having AP World and AP English in the second semester of my senior year. Someone shoot me, please?
Haha have fun dealing with senioritis.
Move the time back! PLEASE :]
MOVE IT BACK!!!!!
Quit complaining..We're all lazy teenagers. Even if the time moves back, we're all still lazy teens. Up all night, myspacing, facebooking and texting. So yea, once again, QUIT COMPLAINING! Have a nice day.
hey talk to me im borrrreeedd...yeahhh doggg
ahahha. i wish i could do this too!!