Too Early to Learn: Why Schools Must Start Later for Student Health

Post date: May 9, 2025

By Athena Caruso

People tend to say that school is like a rollercoaster- and that could not be more true. School has its ups and downs whether it's regarding classes, friendships, or activities. However, despite the uniqueness each rollercoaster has to offer, most of them generally start off the same, with a long incline to reach the top. This repeated incline within each rollercoaster is the reason why I have been counting down to the glorious end of my grade school career since the beginning. For twelve years straight, I have been jolted awake at a blasphemous hour each and every morning to attempt to get an education, and each year has been miserable. The negative mental and physical health effects on students caused by school’s early start is justification for the demand that all schools start later.

According to Nationwide Children’s, the teenage body needs a solid nine hours of sleep. Assume a student needs to wake up at six in the morning- although many wake up earlier. They would have to be asleep by nine pm each night to fulfill their body’s requirements. Unfortunately, upon hitting puberty, all teenagers are impacted by a biological shift in their natural sleep rhythm, meaning they naturally start to feel tired two hours later than they are adjusted to according to UCLA Health. If the biological conditions are not enough to prove the unattainability of proper sleep for teenagers, then the practicality of teenage life is. After school lets out, the majority of students are involved in numerous extracurricular activities whether it’s a sport, club, or even work. Upon the completion of any activities, students then must do homework which can be very time consuming. All of this while also balancing a social life takes up a great deal of time, making it difficult to get to bed at a reasonable time. Given these circumstances, it is no surprise that teenagers only get about seven hours of sleep on average as stated in a study done by Better Health Channel.

Given the lack of sleep that comes with school, the negative effects on students are detrimental to their health and wellbeing. The first and most obvious result of sleep lack is grogginess and tired students. When children and teenagers do not feel energized, they have problems focusing and staying alert. With these factors, the likelihood of a positive learning experience is low. A lack of energy is a very common factor when it comes to lack of sleep, but there are even more detrimental effects. As an involved student, I am not able to get the proper amount of sleep I need each night, and I have seen the negative effects on my body. Aside from a constant state of exhaustion, I have developed a constant migraine issue stemming from my lack of sleep. It has gotten to the point where I acquire either a headache or a hardcore migraine every single day, and am forced to take painkillers if I want to push through. Living like this is not healthy or pleasant, but sadly, it’s not an uncommon way of life for teenagers. All of these effects are very harmful and distressing, but many students choose to temporarily escape them by drinking caffeine. Energy drinks loaded with chemicals are a very popular choice for teenage students, carrying 200 milligrams of caffeine per serving. But it just so happens that caffeine for adolescents is unfortunately dangerous. John Hopkins Medicine says caffeine can unhealthily  increase heart rates, anxiety, and blood pressure for developing teenage bodies. These risks to the wellbeing of students need to be considered and should cause school start times to be rethought. 

Given the facts, the early start of school is nothing but unhealthy for students. The only solution to this problem is to start school later in the morning. While it may not seem like much, it may be surprising how much better the lives of students could be with just two more hours of sleep in the morning. While this change may be inconvenient when it comes to after school activities, the wellbeing and health of students should be a first priority when it comes to any school. How are students expected to face the drops and loops school throws at them when they can’t get past the incline?