Schools should start later primarily to better align with teenagers' natural sleep cycles, which helps improve their academic performance, mental and physical health, and overall well-being.

Improved Academic Performance

Later start times allow students to get enough sleep, leading to better attention, focus, memory, and problem-solving abilities. Research shows students with adequate rest tend to earn higher grades and perform better academically because sleep helps with processing and retaining information.

Mental and Physical Health Benefits

Getting sufficient sleep reduces stress, anxiety, and depression in teenagers. It also supports physical health through tissue repair, muscle building, and immune system function. Well-rested teens are less vulnerable to illness and have higher energy levels for school and extracurricular activities.

Safety and Attendance

Starting school later reduces the risk of car accidents as tired teens driving early in the morning are more prone to impaired judgment. It also improves attendance and decreases tardiness since students are more likely to wake up on time and feel motivated to go to school.

Social and Behavioral Benefits

Adequate sleep helps teens regulate emotions better, leading to healthier relationships with family, peers, and teachers. It fosters a positive social environment and encourages participation in extracurricular activities.

Alignment with Natural Sleep Patterns

Teenagers naturally tend to stay up late and require around 8.5 to 9.5 hours of sleep. Early school start times force them to wake before their biological clocks are ready, causing chronic sleep deprivation. Later start times better match their circadian rhythms and natural sleep-wake cycles.

In summary, schools starting later have been shown to promote better academic outcomes, improve mental and physical health, enhance safety, reduce absenteeism, and align with teens' biological needs.