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Start school later to prevent sleep-deprieved teens: US doctors

Students participate in morning exercises during the first day of class at

Rosauro Almario Elementary School in Tondo city, metro Manila,
Philippines June 13, 2016. Photo: Reuters
Published: 9:15 AM, June 15, 2016
Updated: 4:28 PM, June 15, 2016
CHICAGO The American Medical Association on Tuesday (June 14) urged
starting school later in the morning for teenagers so they can get enough
sleep.
In a new policy adopted on Tuesday, the AMA said middle and high schools
should start at 8.30am at the earliest because research has shown that
puberty is accompanied by a biological shift in circadian rhythm that
contributes to later bedtimes and wake-up times in adolescents.
The influential doctors group said nearly 10 per cent of US high schools
today begin at or before 7.30am as districts try to make time for
additional classes, sports and extracurricular activities.

Inadequate sleep has been linked to a host of mental and physical

problems, from poor memory performance and mood disorders to
impaired immune function and unhealthy body mass index, the AMA said.
Sleep deprivation is a growing public health issue affecting our nations
adolescents, putting them at risk for mental, physical and emotional
distress and disorders, said Dr William Kobler, an AMA board member.
Scientific evidence strongly suggests that allowing adolescents more
time for sleep at the appropriate hours results in improvements in health,
academic performance, behaviour, and general well-being, he added.
Only 32 per cent of American teens in a recent study reported getting at
least eight hours of sleep on an average school night. The American
Academy of Pediatrics recommends teenagers between 14 and 17 years
old should get 8.5 to 9.5 hours of sleep per night.
The AMAs new policy, adopted at the groups annual meeting in Chicago,
also encourages physicians to educate parents, school administrators and
teachers about the importance of sleep for adolescent mental and
physical health. REUTERS