Most U.S. middle and high schools start the day too early
5 out of 6 U.S. middle and high schools start the school day before 8:30 AM
The American Academy of Pediatrics has recommended that middle and high schools should aim to start no earlier than 8:30 AM to enable students to get adequate sleep.
Teens need at least 8 hours of sleep per night.
Younger students need at least 9 hours.
2 out of 3 U.S. high school students sleep less than 8 hours on school nights
Adolescents who do not get enough sleep are more likely to
be overweight
not get enough physical activity
suffer from depressive symptoms
engage in unhealthy risk behaviors such as drinking alcohol, smoking tobacco, and using illicit drugs
perform poorly in school