Schools are always trying to improve student performance, but are education systems actually stopping students from learning? Recent studies show that even hard-working students struggle to cope with school timetables because they are sleep-deprived.
Many educators blame this on the typical ‘teen’ lifestyle – staying up too late, watching TV, using social networking sites and smartphones. However, science shows that this is not the reason. Studies show that teenagers need approximately 8½ to 9¼ hours of sleep per night for healthy brain function and development. However, most are getting only seven hours on average.
Many educators blame this on the typical ‘teen’ lifestyle – staying up too late, watching TV, using social networking sites and smartphones. However, science shows that this is not the reason. Studies show that teenagers need approximately 8½ to 9¼ hours of sleep per night for healthy brain function and development. However, most are getting only seven hours on average.
A normal time for a teenager to fall asleep is 11 p.m. or later, so they should wake up after 8 a.m. However, with school start times between 7 and 8.30 a.m., it’s not surprising that students are exhausted during the school day. Unfortunately, even though evidence for starting classes later is strong, many education authorities refuse to change their schedules.