The Effects Of Sleep Deprivation Among Teens - 1080 Words

Alarm clocks are arguably the worst sound in the world. People across the globe dread the penetrating sound, for it lures them out of sleep. In most cases, sleep is interrupted hours before the brain has achieved adequate Non-Rapid Eye Movement rest. Teenagers suffer from sleep deprivation due to the early school start times. The teenage body functions best between the hours of 8:30am-11:00pm, yet schools start earlier than 8:30am. Five out of six schools throughout the nation start prior to 8:30 AM, and the average start time for American high schools is 8:03 AM. Due to this, two out of three high school students are getting less than eight hours of sleep because of their school’s start time. Inadequate sleep is dangerous to the human†¦show more content†¦Not only are teenagers prone to increased risks for substance abuse, but researchers also observed an increase in dangerous health conditions. â€Å"Adolescents who do not get enough sleep are more likely to: be o verweight, not engage in daily physical activity, suffer from depressive symptoms, engage in unhealthy risk behaviors such as drinking, smoking tobacco, and using illicit drugs, and perform poorly in school† (Schools Start Too Early 1). Obesity is a spiraling effect, for it does not end with excess fat. Teeangers can experience high blood pressure, high choleserol, and be more prone to heart attacks. These health conditions have an overall negative effect on a person’s well being. If schools were to delay their start times, then the percentage of teenagers receiving more than eight hours of sleep per night would increase. Schools should delay their start times, for it will positively benefit students and the community alike because both groups will receive more sleep and spend more time with their families. The aforementioned study conducted at the University of Michigan reported several key positive benefits amongst students. â€Å"Other positive findings include a significant reduction in local car crashes, less absenteeism, less tardiness, as well as higher test scores on national achievement tests† (Wahlstrom, Dretzke, Gordon, Peterson, Edwards, and Gdula 56). Delaying a school’s start time will also positively affect the community. â€Å"...70