Summary

1. What catastrophic events in history have been caused by sleep deprivation?

Throughout history, there have been many catastrophic disasters caused by sleep deprivation. Sleep deprivation is known to cause fatigue, decreased alertness, inattention, and delayed reaction times. Examples of historic events that are linked to sleep deprivation include the Challenger Space Shuttle explosion, the Exxon Valdez oil spill, and the Chernobyl Nuclear Plant meltdown. For example, the investigations into the causes of the Challenger explosion and the Exxon Valdez oil spill concluded that the people in charge at the time of the catastrophes were operating under extreme sleep deprivation. The Challenger explosion threatened to bring an end to the U.S. space program. The Exxon Valdez oil spill caused economic and environmental damage that was so great it cannot be calculated or quantified. In addition to the failure of the nuclear reactor at Chernobyl, investigators determined that long shifts resulting in fatigue were a contributing factor to the disaster. Over 4,000 people died as a result of radiation and cancer linked to Chernobyl.

2. Is there more pressure today for teenagers to be involved in an increasing number of extracurricular activities to gain college admission, which results in sleep deprivation?

Today, students are under great pressure to be involved in an increasing number of extracurricular activities to gain college admission. Students are required to juggle school work while maintaining a high level of involvement in extracurricular activities to impress college admissions personnel, resulting in increased stress and fatigue. Studies have shown that students involved in extracurricular activities are more likely to experience sleep deprivation and to be tired during the daytime, which may negatively impact their performance at school. Additional studies reveal that 72% of high school students report sleeping less than the recommended amount of time for their age, often due to the increasing demands of school and extracurricular activities.

3. How does sleep deprivation impact the physical and mental health of teenagers?

Studies show that teens require between eight and ten hours of sleep a night to maintain a healthy lifestyle. However, most teenagers only get six and a half to seven and a half hours of sleep. Sleep deprivation can have a serious impact on a teenager's mental health. Sleep deprivation has been linked to problems with concentration, shortened attention spans, memory deficits, poor decision making, anxiety, depression, and aggression. Lack of proper sleep has also been linked to thoughts of suicide and actual suicide attempts. Long-term sleep deprivation is known to cause cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity.

4. How does sleep deprivation impact the academic performance of teenagers?

Adequate sleep plays a very important role in the ability of students to perform well at school. Sleep deprivation results in daytime drowsiness, which has a negative impact on academic performance. Lack of sleep results in problems with attention, concentration, memory, slower processing times, and problem-solving skills. In fact, one study found that individuals who were given a cognition test after being awake for seventeen hours performed similarly to individuals who had a blood alcohol concentration of .05%. Other studies have found that students who slept at least eight hours performed significantly better on tests than those who did not receive eight hours of sleep.

5. Would a later start to the school day result in more sleep and, thus, improved health and better academic performance for teenagers?

In the United States, the average start time for a high school student is 8:00 a.m. Schools in most states begin the school day between 7:45 a.m. to 8:15 a.m. Interestingly, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the American Academy of Pediatrics both recommend that a school day should not begin prior to 8:30 a.m. for high school students, with the ideal start time being 9:00 a.m. or 9:30 a.m. This is because a biological change during puberty called a “phase delay” shifts a teenager’s biological clock resulting in the inability to fall asleep prior to 11:00 a.m. and making the ideal rising time to be 8:00 a.m. or later. A later start to the school day would recognize this biological change in teenagers and allow for proper sleep. Moreover, with the increased demand for participation in extracurricular activities that often take place late into the evening, a later start to the school day would result in better academic performance, improved attendance, and better physical and mental health for students.

My scientific survey of students ranging in age from fourteen to eighteen years old revealed that 88% of those students surveyed receive between four and seven hours of sleep per night, which is less than recommended eight to ten hours of sleep needed to maintain a healthy lifestyle for teenagers. Only 12% receive the recommended amount of sleep. In addition, 72% of students surveyed feel pressure to be involved in extracurricular activities to be admitted to college, with 44% of those students participating in more than four extracurricular activities. Finally, my survey revealed that 84 percent of surveyed students feel tired during the school day and believe that a later start to the school day would allow them to be more rested.

6. Why are my findings important?

My findings are important because requiring students to wake earlier than is beneficial for their changing biological clocks leads to a major

disruption in the normal sleep patterns every day that school is in session. The average start day for school was set many decades ago when most families did not have two working parents. However, the average start day for school has not evolved given that both parents work in most households today. My research reveals that a later start to the workday will result in many benefits to the health and well-being of students and improved academic performance, while also allowing students to participate in a wide array of extra-curricular activities needed for college admission. Graphs of my survey results reveal the negative impact that sleep deprivation is having on students today and demonstrate the crucial need for a later start to the school day.