Later school start time helps teenagers

Early morning - N. Carlson

USA Today reports that Late School Start Times are Good For Teens.  Early school start times before 7:20 am make it almost impossible for students to get adequate sleep. 

According to the article the consequences of inadequate sleep in teenagers:

• Increased risk for obesity, stroke and type 2 diabetes; higher rates of automobile accidents; and lower levels of physical activity.
• Increased risk for anxiety and depression; increased risk-taking behaviors; impaired interpretation of social/emotional cues, decreased motivation and increased vulnerability to stress.
• Lower academic achievement, poor school attendance; increased dropout rates; and impairments in attention, memory, organization and time management.

 As a parent of a teenager, I work to keep tabs noting problems with sleep deprivation.  There are significant issues with a later start time with respect to after school activities.  It is important to be careful of the time commitments and very important to get appropriate amounts of sleep.