The average student’s day begins around six. They snooze their alarm clocks several times, and it is a constant struggle to pull themselves out of bed each morning. Author of “Later Middle School Start Time”, Carolyn Crist, “teenagers get an average of nine hours of sleep each night, to promote optimal health.” However, with several hours of homework and studying in addition to after school activities and sports, it seems nearly impossible to fulfill the desired time. For many, it actually is. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention exclaims that about three fourths of high school students get under eight hours of sleep each night, no matter how hard they try to get to bed early. A later arrival time for schools would be beneficial in multiple ways, such as their health, the student’s focus in class, high school students will be more alert behind the wheel, and even cut down the late arrivals and absents. Middle school and high school students may advance and do sufficiently better if school started later. 
           

When it comes to a teenager’s health, sleep is one of the most important factors. Physicians are noting that teens really need more sleep than younger children, which most of them do not get. Johns Hopkins pediatrician, Michal Crocetti, explains in the article How Much Sleep is Enough, “Teenagers are going through a second developmental stage of cognitive maturation…teens need 9 to 9½ hours of sleep per night—that’s an hour or so more than they needed at age 10,” (“Sleep Better”). A person’s teenage years are when his/her brain is developing, as well as going through their physical growth spurt. Both of those very significant changes, which occur when the child is asleep, and getting those additional hours of sleep will support his/her body with what it needs to flourish.
         

One’s focus in a classroom setting will also be affected by the amount of sleep he/she is receiving at night. Sleep deprivation affects a student’s attention span, focus, and their ability to retain the knowledge. An average school day is about seven hours a day, meaning that they are attending about 35 hours in a classroom a week, or 1,260 hours a year, according to ServiceDiane Swanbrownews. A great amount of pressure is laid upon teenagers in high school as everything they are doing is in hope of getting into a good college. Student’s grades are a considerable amount of the stress, that requires endless amounts of studying and concentration in class, in addition to their other needs, specifically sleep.
         

Likewise, focus is not limited to the classroom, as it is required far beyond the school setting. Sleep deprivation is specifically hazardous to teenagers behind the wheel. For most students, within their high school years they are beginning to drive. As students are conveniently capable of transporting themselves to school now, many risks come with the privilege. Dr. Crocetti explains, “Sleep deprivation in teens can lead to accidents. I tell my teenage son he can’t drive to school in the morning if he’s not getting enough sleep.” Many leave for school within minutes of waking up, not having much time to be alert nor perceptive, which are both necessary when on the road.
       

Many students’ attendance records suffer on behalf of not getting enough sleep. In the morning they are unable to pull themselves out of bed due to sleep deprivation, resulting in late arrivals and even frequent absences. When it comes down to finally getting into bed and falling into a deep sleep after school and social commitments, the average teenager’s bedtime is around 11:00 pm. Only having a few hours of recuperation before waking up early to get ready and travel to school.
           

A later arrival time in middle and high schools around the world will result in not only healthier teenagers but also more succeeding students. When it comes to a child’s overall health, focus, safety, and performance, why not adjust something as easy as time by a few hours, if it makes a tremendous difference. The American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Medical Association, and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine all recommend a start time of 8:30 AM or later, (“Let-Them-Sleep-AAP-Recommends"). Getting the appropriate hours of sleep each night is important, and not following the recommended schedule will have its effects on the body.
 
 Works Cited
Crist, Carolyn. “Later Middle School Start Times Tied to Longer Sleep for Kids.” Reuters, Thomson               Reuters, 18 Apr. 2018.

“Let-Them-Sleep-AAP-Recommends-Delaying-Start-Times-of-Middle-and-High-Schools-to-Combat-Teen-Sleep-Deprivation.”

Service, Diane SwanbrowNews. Diverse Group Is the Best Solution for Problem-Solving Tasks.

“Sleep Better.” Is There Really Any Benefit to Multivitamins?