School Should Start Later

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Imagine a day where you are taking notes for a test, and then you fall asleep in the middle of your teacher’s lecture on prepositional phrases. For many students, this is a common occurrence. All across the country, teens are not getting enough sleep. Time pressures related to homework, sports, family time, and other after school activities steal precious sleep from teens. Teens need at least eight hours of sleep a night; however, many teens never reach that amount. School times also complicate the issue of getting enough sleep. For example, most high schools in the United States begin at 7:30 am. Middle and high schools should start later because doing so will grant teens more sleep and will make them healthier children, students will get …show more content…

In the article “9 Surprising Reasons to Get More Sleep” by R. Morgan Griffin, he suggests “Getting a good night's sleep won't grant you immunity from disease. But study after study has found a link between insufficient sleep and some serious health problems, such as heart disease, heart attacks, diabetes, and obesity” (1). Simply stated, sleep is not just to keep us awake during the day, it also helps us fight against many life-changing diseases. Sleeping might mean that you will miss out on an activity here or there, but in the long run, sleeping is the best thing for you. It recharges you, restores you, and gives your growing body the rest that it …show more content…

High test scores means better and higher educational opportunities in the future. In the article “Should Schools Start Later” by Justin O’Neill, Heather Macintosh from Start Schools Later, quotes “One 2012 study found that middle schoolers’ test scores rose in reading and math. Well rested kids learn better” (20). “They are happier, they get better grades, and their bodies are healthier” (21). Heather is suggesting that kids test scores raise when they get more sleep. This also means that kids that get more sleep will likely get better grades than kids that do not get as much sleep. The second quote by Heather Mackintosh states that kids are healthier when they get more sleep. This statement also reveals that without sleep, some kids will not have the energy that they need to complete the day, and in the end, having lower grades than many other

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