Do you have a groggy teen? There might be a reason for that.
The American Academy of Pediatrics has released a statement recommending to move the start times for school to 8:30 a.m. or later, to help sleep-deprived teens stay in bed longer.
"Studies show that adolescents who don't get enough sleep often suffer physical and mental health problems, an increased risk of automobile accidents and a decline in academic performance. But getting enough sleep each night can be hard for teens whose natural sleep cycles make it difficult for them to fall asleep before 11 p.m. -- and who face a first-period class at 7:30 a.m. or earlier the next day," begins the statement.
The AAP has released a policy statement with the recommendation in the September issue of Pediatrics, called "School Start Times for Adolescents."
"The research is clear that adolescents who get enough sleep have a reduced risk of being overweight or suffering depression, are less likely to be involved in automobile accidents, and have better grades, higher standardized test scores and an overall better quality of life. Studies have shown that delaying early school start times is one key factor that can help adolescents get the sleep they need to grow and learn," said pediatrician Judith Owens, MD, FAAP, lead author of the policy statement.
A National Sleep Foundation poll found 59 percent of middle school students and 87 percent of high school students in the U.S. were not getting the recommended 8.5 to 9.5 hours of sleep on school nights. The statement notes that about 40 percent of American high schools still start before 8 a.m., and only 15 percent launch the school day at or after 8:30. Among middle schools, it says, more than one-fifth begin at 7:45 or earlier.
According to the AAP, the reasons for sleep deprivation in teens is complicated. Students have homework to do, hobbies and other leisure activities they engage in, after-school jobs that they keep and even heavy gadget use, that all keep them up late on school nights.
The AAP recommends pediatricians to counsel teens and their parents about healthy sleep habits, including adopting a media curfew. The Academy also recommends health care professionals to explain to parents, educators, athletic coaches and other stakeholders about all of the factors that result in insufficient sleep for teens.
"The AAP is making a definitive and powerful statement about the importance of sleep to the health, safety, performance and well-being of our nation's youth," Dr. Owens said. "By advocating for later school start times for middle and high school students, the AAP is both promoting the compelling scientific evidence that supports school start time delay as an important public health measure, and providing support and encouragement to those school districts around the country contemplating that change."
The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 62,000 pediatricians, pediatric medical specialists and pediatric surgical specialists.
Photo: Timothy Krause
