A recent study in Seattle found that students are getting more sleep, which could lead to earlier school start times.
Researchers from the University of Washington, and the Salk Institute published their findings in Science Advances last week.Students in Seattle’s public high schools received higher grades, were more punctual, and were better able to focus when school started late. By 55 minutes.
The Seattle School District initiated research in 2016 with a shift in secondary school start hours.
According to the study, students who began school had an average of 12% higher success rates.LaterStudents who started school earlier slept an average of 34 minutes more each night.Participating schools also reported that students who began later experienced a 4.5% rise in their final grades and less absences and tardiness..
This program was designed to show that students who start later in their academic careers have better academic performance and health. Data had indicated that secondary students would benefit from a later start-time, but no data was available to directly measure the impact of this change on student health. This study shows that students benefit from delaying their start time by sleeping more and improving their academic performance.
Katzaroff said that teens can find it tempting to work all night or skip sleep because of school-related stressors. However, a lack proper rest has been proven to hinder academic performance. She stated thatStudents might find a way to get an extra half-hour of sleep in the morning. This could help reverse this sleepless cycle..
The authors cautioned that students who start later than usual can’t compensate for bad bedtime habits. They recommend that students focus on improving their sleep hygiene, starting with limiting screen time at night.
OH THE START TIMES, THEY ARE ACHANGIN
We have seen numerous studies linking proper sleep to better academic performance over the past decade, especially among adolescents.Maybe that’s why Seattle School District is not the only one to consider later school start times.. In fact, 45 states adopted new start times policies after the American Academy of Pediatrics published a report about fighting sleep deprivation among teens.
Some studies also suggest that students who get more sleep may be less likely to suffer from depression and have better cardiovascular health. This could even help boost America’s economy by billions. All of the evidence supporting the benefits of school starting later can be overwhelming. One has to wonder, however, what is the problem?
Katzaroff informed me that, even though the Seattle study results were encouraging, not everyone is interested in the idea a delayed start.. Katzaroff said that some community members are still concerned about the fact that students may not be able to start earlier and could cause problems for families with childcare. Katzaroff acknowledged this concern but said that it was a positive outcome for students.
It remains to be seen if the Seattle School District will press for a permanent change of school start times. Katzaroff stated that she and other teachers felt that the students were able to experience firsthand what even a small sleep difference can do.
