Sometimes the most important factor for whether you’re successful has nothing to do with the actual task you’re trying to accomplish. Vince Lombardi notably said, “The will to win is not nearly so important as the will to prepare to win.” It’s with this in mind that giving students the best possible chance to succeed before they even make it through front door becomes so important.
When it comes to learning, studies suggest one of the most impactful steps a student can take to prepare is getting enough sleep before school. Teenagers need more than the classic 8 hours a sleep every night, and not getting that can have a real negative affect on both their mood, academic performance, and overall well-being. In 2014 the American Academy of Pediatrics submitted a policy statement that articulated how moving school start times to around an hour later could address the chronic sleep loss problem that hangs such a pall over so many adolescents and young adults in America. Research also suggests that the amount and quality of sleep experienced can impact a student’s ability to both learn new information and retain information they previously learned. Studies have also found that sleep loses can cause responses to negative stimuli to increase in intensity.
While not entirely conclusive, there is evidence to a causal link between sleep loss and poorer academic performance, as well as general health. Adolescents simply are not getting enough sleep, for a variety of reasons, and addressing this can be a great way to improve students’ mood and academic performance. Getting a full 9-9 ½ can really help teens get the most out of every day. The AAP suggestion to push high school and college classes until after 8:00 is intended to alleviate some of the sleep issues teens currently face. Their research shows that teen who have later classes still go to sleep at nearly the same time, resulting in a net gain in sleep that made students happier, healthier, and more able to learn.
Written by: Matthew Brandfass