Page 5 - Demo

Kendell St Jean, 12, said. “So they’re usually up until at least 1 AM, and then they have to wake up pretty early.”
Some sleep scientists feel that the sleep problem has to do with how early public schools start. These scientists advise that all schools start no earlier than 8:30 AM to account for the biological changes that affect the circadian rhythms of teens as they go through puberty. Edgewood starts school at 8:30 AM. But according to the 2014 School Health Policies and Practices Study, 93% of high schools and 83% of middle schools in the US start before the recommended time. Many start before 7:30 AM.
In a study conducted by Dr. Mary Carskadon in 1998, students were tested using a polysomnography. This device measured how long it took for students to fall asleep (this is known as “sleep latency”). Students were measured before and after a school changed its start time from 8:25 AM to 7:20 AM, a significantly earlier start time. The studies showed that students had shorter sleep latency after the change was enforced. It took a shorter time for students to fall asleep after the change. This may sound like a good thing, because the students were falling asleep more quickly, but shorter sleep latency is actually a sign of sleep deficiency. The students
^Heather Gorenflo,
9, takes a nap over her schoolwork.
who had experienced the time change suffered a sleep deficit as a direct result. Many more studies of the same kind have been conducted since, and nearly all show similar results. These studies are cited by sleep researchers as evidence that early start times inhibit good sleep in teenagers.
Sleep deprivation can result in serious consequences. Lack of sleep is associated with difficulty concentrating. “I can’t focus as well in class when I don’t get enough sleep,” Heather Gorenflo, 9, said.
Emotional consequences have also been observed to occur as a result of sleep deprivation. You’ve probably had the experience of being on a short fuse after a sleepless night. Lack of sleep can make your emotional reactions more intense and impulsive. You may snap back to your parents, get annoyed at your friends, or get angry about schoolwork as a consequence of your sleep deficit. And for every night you don’t sleep, the effect stacks up; the more sleepless nights you have, the stronger your reactions to stimuli.
High schoolers have busy lives. Sports, drama, clubs, jobs, and other extracurriculars can take up much of a student’s time. With the addition of schoolwork to their schedule, high schoolers tend to stay up late to finish work. Then, they have to wake up early to go to school. This sleep problem can have drastic effects on the health of teenagers. These sleep-deprived students may not even realize how their lack of sleep can impact their bodies and brain functioning. Emotional impulsivity, lack of concentration, and inability to finish work can all be tied to the problem of sleep. The “epidemic” of sleep deprivation among teenagers doesn’t seem likely to abate, so high schoolers may have to learn how to work through their school years in a perpetual state of sleep deficiency.
How does sleep deprivation affect your body?
Brain
Diminished attentional focus and memory consolidation and increased risk of depression
Immune system
Suppression of immune cell production and increased risk of viral infections such as colds
Fat cells
Increased production of fat cells and greater risk of obesity
Joints
Increased inflammation and arthritis
Heart
Increased risk of high blood pressure
Stomach
More hunger; decreased hunger suppression
Muscles
Reduced strength and slower reaction time and motor learning