Mental health is at the top of the list for concerns. Teenagers with school starting times before 8:30 a.m. may be at risk of certain health problems due to compromised sleep quality, according to a recent URMC study. Specifically in teenagers depression, anxiety and fatigue are the most common psychological outcomes of obtaining less sleep. Teens are recommended 8-9 hours of sleep per night. Although, there are a number of external factors that affect this including homework, extracurricular activities, after school jobs, technology use and having to be up at early hours of the morning. These factors have lessened sleep quality and length. A 204 survey of 9,089 high school students found that teens reporting less than 8 hours of sleep had significantly more symptoms of depression than their peers getting more than 8 hours. Many adolescents that suffer from depression may also suffer from things like insomnia (problems falling asleep) or hypersomnia (excessive sleepiness during the day). Some might be asking for solutions to these problems. The only answers are eliminating all those external factors that stop teens from going to bed early. The oth
er option is changing school start times till after 8:30 a.m. Doing this will allow students to get the right amount of sleep and will decrease the likelihood of them developing mental illnesses.
Early school start times do not just affect mental ability. They also have an impact on physical health. Sleep deprivation increases the risk for diabetes, obesity and high blood pressure. Many research studies have linked obesity to sleep deprivation in children and adults. A lack of sleep can disrupt the balance of hormones that control appetite. Sleep deprivation can also decrease motivation and energy, which reduces a teens motivation to exercise. Researchers believe that a lack of sleep alters hormone levels and puts additional stress on the body. Early school start times may contribute to diabetes and obesity in several ways. When teens get up very early for school and do not go to bed until late at night, they may eat more than they would if they got an adequate amount of sleep. Additionally, tired students may reach for foods high in sugar or caffeine, hoping that they will get a temporary boost. This puts them at risk for serious health problems.