If your teenager drags themselves out of bed before sunrise and stumbles through first period, the science says that’s not laziness. It’s biology. Pediatric and sleep medicine groups recommend middle and high schools start no earlier than 8:30 a.m., because teens’ internal clocks naturally shift later during adolescence. Most schools ring the first bell well before that, leaving students in a chronic sleep deficit.
The research behind the recommendation is hard to ignore. Teens ages 13 to 18 need eight to 10 hours of sleep per night, and early start times have been linked to poor academic performance, depression, anxiety, and an increase in car accidents involving teen drivers. One student described looking around first period and seeing classmates with their heads down, asleep at their desks. As one doctor put it, we cannot educate students if they are not safe and healthy.
Change is possible, but complicated. Clark County, Nevada, recently approved a 30-minute later start for high schools, and St. Louis may follow by 2027-2028. The hold-ups are real: bus schedules, after-school activities, and parents’ work routines all have to shift together. Until districts make a move, sleep experts suggest a few things families can do right now, like keeping consistent bedtimes, getting morning sunlight, keeping tech out of the bedroom, and sticking to short naps.
What time does your student’s school start, and do you think it should change? Let us know on our Facebook page.
