Do you wake up for school and struggle to get out of bed? Have you ever stayed up late working on an assignment and dread the pain of waking up early for school in the morning? Well, you are not alone. According to healthline.com, 73% of high school students do not get enough sleep. Waking up early for school definitely is a cause of that percentage. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that middle school and high school start at 8:30 AM at the earliest, which is at least an hour later than when Apex High School starts.

There are many negative effects of waking up too early and not getting enough sleep. It definitely can affect how teens perform in school; they are more likely to do worse in school if they do not get enough sleep and if they have to perform at an earlier time in the day. Sleep deprivation mixed with students driving to school early in the morning can also cause a decent amount of car accidents. There are also more serious effects on students not getting enough sleep, such as health risks. Teens who do not get enough sleep are more likely to become overweight or suffer from depression. CNN health even discusses how the lack of sleep can cause some suicidal thoughts too. Getting enough sleep and being able to wake up later isn’t just good for student’s academics, but it’s beneficial to student’s mental health too.

If school starting times get pushed back, it will solve a lot of problems. Students will be less tired during the day, so they will pay attention better. If students get more sleep and don’t stress about waking up early, there will also be fewer people tardy to class. It will also definitely improve academic scores and even reduce the amount of morning car accidents. According to a two year study of two high schools in Virginia, the school with the later start time had significantly fewer students in an accident.

Overall, students do better when schools start later. There are fewer health problems, and there is higher academic success. Currently, most of the schools in America are going against the recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics to start at 8:30. Schools should get pushed back to start at 8:30 at the earliest in order to see some improvements. Do you think school starts too early? If so, do you think the start time should get pushed back at least an hour?