New sleep research suggests that delaying the first bell could help middle school students get more sleep and better sleep. Kris Sanchez reports.
New sleep research suggests that delaying the first bell could help middle school students get more sleep and better sleep.
According to researchers from Children's National Health System, an 8 a.m. start time — as compared to a 7:20 a.m. start time — yields an average of 17 more minutes of sleep per weeknight for middle schoolers despite them going to bed 15 minutes later. That extra shut-eye resulted in students feeling less tired and more attentive in the classroom.
Researchers behind the study examined nearly 1,000 seventh- and eighth-graders at 11 middle schools in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, sleep deprivation doesn't just make teenagers more cranky at home and restless at school. A lack of sleep in teenagers is associated with risky behaviors such as drinking, smoking and using drugs and can also lead to overeating and symptoms of depression.
