*Ian Behnood
Mrs. Cunningham
English 11
2/21/20
Sleep Deprivation in Teens.
Sleep deprivation with teens in America is a major problem throughout the country. Most
teenagers are suggested to get an average of 8-10 hours of sleep a night, but mainly because of
school’s early start times. Most teens only get approximately 5-6 hours of sleep. Many
professional sleep researchers are trying to change the start time of school at later times then
7AM because they want teens to get the most beneficial amount of sleep needed for good health.
The school district has been somewhat trying to change the start time for teens; however,
it is quite hard for them to change the time mainly because of the school bus system. The way the
school bus system works is that they first take high-schoolers to school who get to class around
7:30AM then middle school at 8:30 and elementary at 9:15AM. Changing the high-school time
would make it harder for the current school bus pick up system routines and would also disrupt
both elementary and middle school changing start times. As much as the district would like to
help teens with sleep, it will take a lot of work and changes within the school bus system.
Teens getting a low amount of sleep also has a lot of bad effects on them. Many teens
who don’t get the recommended amount of sleep suffer depression and moodiness. However,
this is mostly contributed to the biological elevated hormones going through a teenager’s body.
In a video by Wendy Troxel, they state, “we chalk up to being a teenager moodiness, irritably,
laziness, depression.” These bad effects are contributed to a loss of sleep, which can ultimately
cause problems in their daily life, at home between the teen and their family and school.
A lack of sleep in teens also can lead to a lot of trouble and rebellion. A quote by Wendy
Troxel states “we found that teens with sleep problems were 55 percent more likely to have used
alcohol in the past month.” As the percentage increases in teen drinkers in high school,
administrators must find a way to change the start time. More importantly, students receiving a
low amount of sleep also has boosted suicide tremendously. Another quote by Wendy Troxel,
says, “they found that for each hour of lost sleep, there was a 38% increase in feeling sad or
hopeless, and a 58% increase in teenage suicide attempts.” This proof in the emotional change in
teens with a lack of sleep should be a factor why high schools should implement late start times.
School start times are causing an epidemic of teens getting a low amount of sleep. School
administrators have been speaking up more often on changing start times for school. Because all
the evidence that sleep experts have proven about the effect a low amount of sleep has on teens,
it has been said that by the year 2022, school times will ultimately change from 7:30 to 8:30 am
which will be a great health improvement for teens all around. Teens should not have sleep
deprivation; therefore, schools need to eventually change start times later in schools.