Later high school start times proven to improve student mental health, safety and academic performance

The National Sleep Foundations (NSF) recommends that adolescents and young adults receive 8-10 hours of sleep per night.

However, the average amount of sleep obtained decreases in the high school years as the teenagers’ biological clock causes them to fall asleep later, yet schools start early.

Less than 13% of high school students in the US obtain 8 hours of sleep or more. (2006 NSF poll)

 

 

Research conducted by Kyla Wahlstrom, Ph.D. at the University of Minnesota has clearly revealed that school start times beginning no earlier than 8:30 a.m. for grades 9 through 12 improve outcomes in three important areas:

  • decreased depression and fewer poor choices about substance abuse
  • decreased car crashes in some cases by as much as 70%
  • improved academic performance on state and national achievement test

The School Start Time Committee is comprised of sleep medicine experts who understand the benefits of a later school start time as well as the unfortunate and avoidable negative consequences of an early start times for teenagers.

School Start Time Committee Members

Keith Cavanaugh, MD

Julie Dahl, APRN,CNP

John Garcia, MD

Con Iber, MD

Wendy Meyers, APRN,CNP

Jonathan Parker, DDS

Kyla Wahlstrom, PhD


Sign-up for Toolkit: Resources about teen sleep and the process of changing school start times! (available November 2016)

 

 

 

 

 

 

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