Everybody needs a good amount of sleep, but teens need the most out of everyone. Most teens have to get up early in the morning to get ready for school. By the time they get to school they are still tired and some go to sleep in class. This means that they will not be able to work as efficiently or be able to pay attention as well. Sleep has a major impact on mental and physical health. Both are extremely important.

Teens should be given at least an extra hour. Sleep Foundation is an organization that promotes more sleep and provides helpful information on it. In one of their articles, it explains that biological sleep patterns for teens shift towards later times. So with that being said, even if teens tried to go to sleep earlier it would not be easy. Nobody can function well if they did not get a good night of sleep.

According to Sleep Foundation only 15% of teens get eight and a half hours of sleep each night. Biologically teens tend to sleep later than adults or adolescents. Teens also tend to have irregular sleep patterns during the week. Each day could be different or it could just be a few days out of the week. This is not a major health concern but, it is not good for anyone to have an irregular sleep pattern. Also, many teens sleep disorders that almost make getting good sleep impossible. Also most teens stay up late doing homework or make up classwork.

If the school boards could change the school times just by an hour it would make things a lot easier for teens. With just that one simple switch that 15% of students getting a good night of sleep could increase. Teens tend to be more cranky and moody which can become a problem in the class. Students can cause disruptions by not doing their work or just be disruptive. Also students who have after school programs will not be able to focus due to lack of sleep. Students who cannot focus in class will suffer because their grades can drop because they cannot grasp the information they are learning.

Lastly, if the school board would change the start time of school teens would be able to get more rest and be able to perform better in class. The state should care more about students sleep because it has such an enormous impact on their day to day life. Mental health should be taken more seriously. School boards could also add time during school to rest because out of 6 hours they could fit in something that will help students.