By: Katie Borders

Opinion Editor

As tired teenagers, waking up early in the morning five days a week is a challenging feat in and of itself. We even have it somewhat easy here in California since all public schools are required by the state to begin the school day at 8:30 AM or later. Unfortunately, most states do not mandate public schools’ start times, meaning that many start before the recommended 8:30 AM start time, resulting in numerous drawbacks on adolescents’ health and well-being. Students face setbacks to their mental health and immune system when suffering from lack of sleep, which results in a decrease in academic performance. In order to ensure students’ health, all public schools in the US should be required to begin their school days at 8:30 AM. or later.

According to Atlas Obscura, as of Dec. 2023, 40 percent of American high schools began school prior to 8 AM; more than 20 percent started at 7:45 AM or earlier, and a meager 15 percent started at or after the recommended earliest starting time of 8:30 AM. Starting school before the recommended 8:30 AM start time harms students’ health and well-being, resulting in sleep deprivation and making them more at risk of serious health conditions later on in life. 

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends that teenagers aged 13–18 years sleep 8–10 hours per 24 hours. Adolescents face sleep deprivation and impairment to their well-being when they do not meet these recommended hours of sleep. For example, many students have extracurricular activities and schoolwork which prevent them from going to sleep early. The resulting sleep deprivation leaves adolescents at higher risk of depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, obesity and substance use, as stated by the advocacy group Start School Later.

Additionally, California and Florida were the first states to regulate public school start times, with research showing “significant advantages for high school students who can get more sleep by beginning their day at 8:30 AM or later.” Benefits of the later start times, according to the American Psychological Association, include a decrease in student-involved car accidents and an increase in student GPAs and standardized test scores. 

Required later public school start times should be implemented nationwide; not only do later start times maintain students’ well-being and health, but they also improve students’ academic performance and attention in school. 

(Sources: American Psychological Association, Atlas Obscura, Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, Stateline, Start School Later)