Later start time for teens improves grades, mood, and safety

Abstract

A recent study by the University of Minnesota looked at eight high schools across the U.S. that chose later start times, from 8:00 a.m. to 8:55 a.m. The study found significant decreases in absences and tardiness as well as greater academic benefits for schools with the latest start times. Among the 9,395 students in the study, those who slept eight or more hours each night were less likely to report symptoms of depression and fall asleep in class. Moreover, after the change to a later start time, the number of car crashes in the districts studied decreased by 13%. Included are recommendations for schools and districts considering changing their high school start times.

Understanding Sleep-Wake Behavior in Late Chronotype Adolescents: The Role of Circadian Phase, Sleep Timing, and Sleep Propensity

“…Indeed, a large body of research supports the major role of early school start times on adolescent's sleep ( 89 ). As a result, schools that implement later morning schedules note increased sleep duration, improved class attendance, and reduced depressive symptoms ( 90 ).…”

An epidemiological study of sleep−wake timings in school children from 4 to 11 years old: insights on the sleep phase shift and implications for the school starting times' debate

“…During the past decade, the growing amount of scientific evidence demonstrating that an adequate sleep duration and timing is crucial for the teen health, well-being and academic performance, as well as the encouragement of the American Academy of Pediatrics and The American Medical Association for later school start-times that allow students to get sufficient sleep and align school schedules to their biological sleep rhythms, have led to the delay of school start-times in some middle and high schools (51). Studies show teens in schools with later start-times have less daytime sleepiness, fatigue and sleep restriction, exhibit a better behavior, attention and concentration during class (52,53,54,55,56) and show improved sleep quality (57).…”

An update on adolescent sleep: New evidence informing the perfect storm model☆

“…Over the last 25 years, more attention has been directed toward delaying middle and high school start times because many school districts in the U.S. and around the world start the school day earlier as children progress through school, thus requiring adolescents to get up at an early hour juxtaposed to their bedtimes, circadian phases, and need for sleep. Since Carskadon and colleagues’ study, school start time outcome research from a range of disciplines and methodologies: circadian rhythms to economics, and across different countries, have investigated the impact of delaying school start times on adolescents’ health and academic performance as well as on the ramifications for school districts (Hafner, Stepanek, & Troxel, 2017; Lee, Nolan, Lockley, & Pattison, 2017; Owens, Wang, Lewin, Skora, & Baylor, 2016; Wahlstrom, 2016).…”