In Praise of Pajamas: A Case for Later School Start Times

Written By Spencer Sherr

December 20th, 2023

It’s 6:30 am. My alarm blares. With all of the strength I can muster, I reach for my nightstand. It’s so early, not even the sun has risen over the horizon. With reduced cognitive function, uncoordinated motor skills, and a foreign pillow lying on the ground, I miraculously manage to start my day. Though, this sleep struggle is not a unique problem. Rather, this is the case every single weekday for millions of students across the country–including here at Seaholm. 

Sleep is the driving force behind everyday life. It is essential to nearly every process in the human body, affecting physical and mental health, influencing our ability to fight disease, driving metabolic systems, and regulating chronic disease risk. It is so significant, in fact, that a lack of sleep has been associated with consequences ranging from heart disease to depression. Furthermore, sleep plays a particularly critical role for students, assisting in the consolidation of memory necessary for long-term learning and building new neurological structures within the brain. These factors make sleep one of the most important biological activities for humans–vital for survival and prosperity. 

Yet, Seaholm’s current schedule fails to allow students to achieve adequate rest. The CDC states that young adults should receive 8-10 hours of sleep per night, but many students (including myself) consistently find it difficult to get to bed on time. Between sports, clubs, homework, family time, work, and other obligations, getting enough sleep becomes nearly impossible. In the US over 70% of high school students report insufficient sleep with 20% receiving fewer than 6 hours per night. Additionally, the circadian rhythm in teens, which governs an individual’s internal clock, is naturally delayed, making it even more difficult for students to get sufficient sleep. Poor performance in students is often not a product of laziness or inability, but rather the result of a nationally widespread, clinically diagnosed epidemic of chronic sleep deprivation in teenagers. 

The findings regarding later school start times are unequivocal: Benefits range from enhanced academic performance to increased attendance/graduation rates and improved mental health. Therefore, schools which implement earlier start times are inadvertently taking away from their student body’s success and well-being. 

One study conducted by the University of Washington examined the effects of shifting the start time in the Seattle public school district from 7:50 am to 8:45 am. The study found that not only did students in the later start time group receive more sleep, but they also experienced improved academic performance by 4.5%. One of the coauthors of the study, Horacio de la Iglesia, states “To ask a teen to be up and alert by 7:30 am is like asking an adult to be active and alert by 5:30 am.”

Though, even more dangerous than a B+ in math class is the heightened potential of automobile collisions brought about by early school start times. Numerous studies have found a significant relationship between insufficient adolescent sleep and increased vehicle accident rates, rendering drowsy driving a formidable problem. 

This issue is becoming more acknowledged throughout the country, especially as the accompanying science advances. In 2019 California became the first state to issue a bill prohibiting high school start times earlier than 8:30 am, with numerous others to follow. 

Despite growing medical and psychological evidence that the current school start time of 7:30 am is too early for optimal adolescent cognitive functioning, there are still concerns. Some believe that delaying the start of school would only result in students staying up later, thus receiving the same amount of sleep. However, in practice, this has been demonstrated to be false. Regardless, the change would still be beneficial, as sunlight in the morning plays a crucial role in regulating the melatonin production (sleepiness) of teenagers. However, the greatest issue facing change makers remains activity coordination with other schools. Starting later means leaving later which can be difficult when many other institutions are released earlier. While this is a legitimate concern, in comparison with the tremendous benefits to students, the advantages far outweigh any possible drawbacks. 

Moreover, a delayed start time would allow students to receive the extra help they need. Personally, I’ve found that there are few learning opportunities as beneficial as speaking with the professors themselves. As such, teachers could make available morning office hours on their own accord with a more reasonable start time. 

Currently,  I am working with district and state governments to bring about this change. With your support, we just might be able to sleep in later, stay in bed longer, and ultimately foster a community that is safer, smarter, and healthier as a result.

Cover image courtesy of Round Rock ISD News