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By: Emerson Kester and ZZ Welding
Sleep. We all know kids need it, and without it, they don’t perform as well in school. As we’ve reported in the past, the National Academy of Pediatrics recommends that middle and high schools start no earlier than 8:30 a.m. to better align with the natural body rhythms of adolescents. But even with this knowledge school still starts at 7:30! If we don't learn how sleep impacts our bodies, kids will stay up late, leading to problems. We believe that we should have later school start times but while we are still trying to make that possible, Implementing a Sleep Education Class in Edgewood would be a good substitute until we get there.
As students in Edgewood, we've witnessed firsthand how sleep deprivation can impact the ability to focus and perform academically. Too many of us are too tired to get our work done effectively, and it's time we address this issue head-on. We propose implementing a class dedicated to teaching about sleep and its effects on our health and well-being. In honor of Sleep Awareness Week, https://www.edweek.org spoke to an expert in adolescent sleep. Lisa J. Meltzer is an associate professor of pediatrics at the National Jewish Health in Denver. She was the lead researcher on a groundbreaking study on the differing sleep patterns between home-schooled students and public or private school students. The study, published in October 2014 in the journal Behavioral Sleep Medicine, found that home-schooled students wake nearly 90 minutes later than their peers in traditional school settings. It was the first study to compare the groups to research their sleep patterns.
Sleep is not just an essential biological function; it plays a crucial role in cognitive processes such as memory consolidation, learning, creativity, and emotional regulation. According to the National Sleep Foundation, teenagers need between 8-10 hours of sleep each night for optimal health. However, studies show that only about 15% of teens report sleeping 8.5 hours on school nights (National Sleep Foundation). "Sleeping is cool, I fully support a sleeping class” states Kierra Wells.
Despite these facts being widely accepted by the scientific community, there is currently no standard education program that teaches students about the importance of proper sleep hygiene or how the lack thereof can affect their physical health, mental well-being, or academic performance. “I think we should be able to have a sleep class because, for some people or most, it resets the brain and helps them focus” Lily Stapleton
Implementing a class dedicated solely to educating students on these matters within Indiana schools' curriculum would not only raise awareness but also equip students with practical strategies for improving their sleep habits. This is just what we need to help ourselves.
We believe that this change in our school will lead to healthier lifestyles among students which will ultimately reflect positively on their academic performance and overall wellbeing. We still should have later school start times but while we are still trying to make that possible, this would be a good substitute until we get there. Please sign this petition if you agree that Indiana schools should include education about healthy sleeping habits in their curriculum.
Author Bio: Emerson Kester is a 12 year old girl at EJHS that loves dogs, working on her petition, and sleeping. ZZ Welding is a 11 year old girl who enjoys loudly talking with her friends, dogs, and being outside
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