1. Working Hypothesis 1

Because sleep is what gives people the ability to function properly, waking up at later times would benefit high-school-aged children in terms of their grades and mental well-being, causing them to not only gain more focus and motivation but also obtain a positive outlook and enough energy to tackle the day ahead of themselves.

1a. Working Hypothesis 2

Though starting high school later in the morning would have many benefits, it would harm students more than help them, forcing athletes to adjust their levels of sports participation, messing up school districts’ bus cycles, and interfering with religious after-school activities.

2. Five Academic Sources

“Sleep in adolescents and young adults” Clinical Medicine. Ellen S Bruce, Laura Lunt, Janet E McDonagh, 17 October 2017. 17 October 2022.

It seems counterintuitive that sleep is directly associated with a healthy mind and body, yet schools require adolescents, who are biologically prone to staying up late, to wake up oftentimes before the sun even rises. During one’s teenage years, the brain is experiencing a significant period of growth, where the health and habits one will have as an adult are being shaped based on the choices one makes. One of the most important things for them would be to get an adequate amount of rest at night, considering mental and physical illnesses, as well as poor decision-making and mood, are linked to a deficiency in sleep. Not only would they be negatively affected by a poor sleeping schedule in their current lives, but they also run the risk of developing issues that will follow them into adulthood. Many teenagers report being unsatisfied with the sleep they get on weekdays, while a majority of those people also claim they do not get enough rest to focus on their schoolwork. Because they obtain a delay in recognizing the time their body feels tired, they are bound to stay up late whether they have to wake up early or not, lacking the hours of sleep their age group requires to function properly. With the best interest of their students’ futures in mind, schools should start and end at later times, allowing teenagers a few extra hours of shut-eye in the morning that may be life-changing to them.

“Sleep disorders in children and adolescents” The BMJ. Suresh Kotagal, Paul Pianosi, 6 April 2006. 17 October 2022.

Because of the early times, they are forced to wake up, plus their natural circadian rhythm, adolescents are prone to developing sleeping disorders. Things like smartphone use, after-school sports, caffeine addiction, evening jobs, and homework may increase their risk. Teenagers are expected to wake up around six in the morning for school, yet require nine hours of sleep at the least. Daytime sleepiness is a common sign of these disorders and it is important for parents to keep an eye out for the symptoms. Narcolepsy and Restless Leg Syndrome are examples of two sleep disorders that can form. Restless Leg Syndrome involves a crawling feeling in the arms and legs at night, while Narcolepsy is random bouts of sleep followed by vivid dreams. Delayed sleep phase disorder and sleep-related breathing disturbances could interrupt a person’s circadian rhythm, therefore, risking their mental and physical health. Psychiatric disorders that are not directly related to sleep – such as anxiety, depression, and OCD – can also lead to poor sleep hygiene. A sleep specialist may be required to detect and treat any sleep disorders. Fixing the issues among adolescents with sleeping disorders caused by a lack of proper rest at night could be the key to enhancing the quality of life.

“Impact of Changing School Start Times on Teachers/Staff” Oxford Academy. Amy E Plog, Janise McNally, Kyla L Wahlstrom, Lisa J Meltzer, 12 April 2019. 17 October 2022.

Not many studies discuss how a later start time would affect the school’s staff as opposed to the students. While the well-being of the children is obviously the most important factor in decision-making for school districts, it is also important to consider the staff. In this specific study, the starting time of Elementary School was made earlier, while the middle and high school were made later. Middle and High School teachers both reported a later wake-up time and total sleep time. On the other hand, Elementary School teachers reported an earlier bedtime and wake-up time, with no change in total sleep time. Elementary School teachers also felt less prepared to start the day, though there was no report of the other level teachers feeling this way. Though assumedly because of the later times they arrived home, there was an increase in Middle School teachers who did not get to have dinner with their families. Middle and High School teachers experienced less daytime sleepiness, while Elementary teachers felt less prepared to start their days. Overall, it seems as if a later start time would be very beneficial to both students and staff. The level that had their starting time made earlier was the one that showed the most negative effects, while most of the impact starting later had on MS/HS teachers was positive. Not only would starting school later improve the attentiveness and energy of the students, but it would also increase the quality of teaching.

Fitzpatrick, J. M., Silva, G. E., & Vana, K. D. (2020). Perceived barriers and facilitating factors in implementing delayed school start times to improve adolescent sleep patterns. Journal of School Health, 91(2), 94–101.

Though there are many great benefits of starting high school at later times, it is important to touch on the disadvantages. For example, many school districts use a tiered bus system, meaning that if the time high school began was made to be later, the pick-up times of the children at the other schools would be affected. It may be difficult to get the community, especially the children, to get used to this change. Because of this, their school hours run the risk of being altered as well. In high school, sports are a big deal and can make or break somebody’s chance at getting into college. Considering sports are usually practiced after school, practice times would shift and this could negatively affect athletes in many ways. If they are involved in a sport outside of school, they may not be willing to change their practice or competition hours to compensate for one team member’s new schedule. It would be difficult to change the time school began without impacting sports participation. Many people attend church on Wednesday nights. Youth groups are also held, and a later school start time could interfere with this. It would take an adjustment of not just high school, but the entire community, to adjust the start and end times of high school.

Hudson Walters, P. (2002). Sleep, the athlete, and performance. Strength and Conditioning Journal, 24(2), 17.

It seems counterintuitive that student-athletes are the teenagers who need the most sleep, yet they are the ones who get the least. There could be many reasons for this, including nervousness prior to games, a lack of time for homework and socialization after school and practice, and the early start times of high schools across the nation. Coaches are actively searching for a solution to this problem, considering lack of sleep negatively affects performance. Throughout history, studies have shown that people who participate in higher-intensity exercise receive an increase in quality and quantity of sleep, but student-athletes seem to be the outlier of this equation. Because their only difference from regular athletes is that they are in high school, the issue seems to be rooted in the scheduling of their schools. A 2-week period, consisting of 1 week of stabilization and 1 week of observation, is the recommended treatment for athletes who are sleep-deprived. It is also suggested they keep a consistent sleeping schedule in a comfortable sleeping area. Though, it’s important to note that this may not be possible for everybody, especially teenagers. Starting school at later times would benefit these athletes by giving them a few extra hours of sleep in the morning. These are people that would definitely take advantage of this time because they need the rest and care extensively about their performance.

Harbard, Emily, et al. “What’s Keeping Teenagers up? Prebedtime Behaviors and Actigraphy-Assessed Sleep over School and Vacation.” Journal of Adolescent Health, vol. 58, no. 4, 2016, pp. 426–432., https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2015.12.011.

Killgore, William D.S. “Effects of Sleep Deprivation on Cognition.” Progress in Brain Research, 2010, pp. 105–129., https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-444-53702-7.00007-5.

Mo, Yun, and Kusum Singh. “Parents’ Relationships and Involvement: Effects on Students’ School Engagement and Performance.” RMLE Online, vol. 31, no. 10, 2008, pp. 1–11., https://doi.org/10.1080/19404476.2008.11462053.

Dunster, Gideon P., et al. “Sleepmore in Seattle: Later School Start Times Are Associated with More Sleep and Better Performance in High School Students.” Science Advances, vol. 4, no. 12, 2018, https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aau6200.

Kelley, Paul, et al. “Synchronizing Education to Adolescent Biology: ‘Let Teens Sleep, Start School Later.’” Learning, Media and Technology, vol. 40, no. 2, 2014, pp. 210–226., https://doi.org/10.1080/17439884.2014.942666.

Owens, Judith A., et al. “Impact of Delaying School Start Time on Adolescent Sleep, Mood, and Behavior.” Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, vol. 164, no. 7, 2010, https://doi.org/10.1001/archpediatrics.2010.96.

Das-Friebel, A., Gkiouleka, A., Grob, A., & Lemola, S. (2020). Effects of a 20 minutes delay in school start time on bed and wake up times, daytime tiredness, behavioral persistence, and positive attitude towards life in adolescents. Sleep Medicine, 66, 103–109. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleep.2019.07.025

Strauch, I., & Meier, B. (1988). Sleep needs in adolescents: A longitudinal approach. Sleep, 11(4), 378–386. https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/11.4.378

3. Topics For Smaller Papers

• Sleeping too little negatively affects grades.
• A lack of sleep causes mental health to decline rapidly.
• Having a poor sleeping schedule as a kid could cause you health issues later in life.
• Starting school later and ending later benefits staff in many ways.

4. Current State of My Research