Conclusion: Student’s Thoughts on Lack of Sleep

With the clear adverse impact that lack of sleep can have on students, it begs the question of what should be changed.

In a Seattle School District study comparing the year before and after the start time was delayed by 55 minutes, they found that this delay led to over 30 minutes more sleep per night in students. The study also found that delaying the start time did not cause students to go to bed any later. 

“I feel I don’t get that much sleep because of the amount of homework I have,” freshman Akhil Kaushik said. “It is tiring. I feel the homework loads should decrease and the amount of the work done in class should increase.”

Senior Sarah D’Souza, however, is open to change in the school’s start time. 

“I like our start time for the most part; however, if we started later, I could probably get some work done in the morning and wouldn’t have to stay up as late as I do now,” D’Souza said. 

Senior Shreya Kaushik also has hopes for more hours of sleep, but admits the start time does offer some advantages. 

“Although we start early, I do like getting out of school at the time we do,” Kaushik said. “It’s nice to be able to do activities in the afternoon.”