Most U.S. middle and high schools start the day too early

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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.

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Teens need at least 8 hours of sleep per night.

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Younger students need at least 9 hours.

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2 out of 3 U.S. high school students sleep less than 8 hours on school nights

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Adolescents who do not get enough sleep are more likely to

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be overweight

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not get enough physical activity

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suffer from depressive symptoms

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engage in unhealthy risk behaviors such as drinking alcohol, smoking tobacco, and using illicit drugs

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perform poorly in school

For more information: https://www.cdc.gov

HHS and CDC logo, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Division of Population Health