Waking up early in the morning is always tough. Students are tired, unmotivated to wake up, and are often very unproductive and slow in the morning. Many students struggle on a regular basis with early school start times across America. Schools need to push back their starting times because students’ lack of sleep is causing health problems, they are unproductive in their morning classes, and they can learn better with a later starting time.

One example of why schools need to push back their starting time is that the students’ lack of sleep is causing serious health issues. Currently, kids already endure enough struggles in their daily lives and waking up early for school should not be one of them. Getting sleep is very important for people’s bodies to function. Ashley Yeager, a scientist studying effects of lack of sleep, saw that, “Lack of sleep can actually cause people to become depressed” (Yeager). Evidently, kids are being woken up early to be put at serious risk of depression due to school starting times. Furthermore, another health condition caused by lack of sleep is the loss of rapid eye movement (REM). REM is an important process that occurs during sleep. According to Yeager, a lack of REM “can cause teens to be very moody” (Yeager). Clearly, if kids are irritable at school, they will have trouble focusing and it will be more difficult for them to learn. Similarly, one last health issue that is caused by early school starting times is stress that can lead to drug use. According to Yeager, “Lack of sleep can cause teens to turn to drugs due to poor decisions from their lack of sleep” (Yeager). Thus, students are stressing their bodies which is causing health problems and poor decision making. As a result, teens are at risk for serious health issues due to early school starting times.

Because schools begin early in the morning, most morning classes are not given the same respect as other classes later in the day. For instance, the average school starts before 8AM, when students are barely awake enough to sit up straight, let alone really focus on learning (Times). Therefore, students’ attention during their first period classes is minimal to none. In addition, early classes have no purpose because, on average, 28% of students fall asleep in their morning classes according to a National Sleep Foundation poll (Times). Obviously, students are so genuinely tired in the morning that they are falling asleep due to their early rise. Moreover, the attendance rate is suffering in morning classes. Many students fail to show up on time and may even miss first or second period classes due to their lack of rest (Times). Clearly, students are not just skipping class; they struggle to get the energy to get to class on time. Consequently, students fail to respect morning classes due to schools’ ridiculously early starting times.
 
One last example of a later school starting time will benefit students in all aspects. For example, students’ standardized test scores have improved in areas where school start times have been pushed later (Times). Nevertheless, students’ will achieve better grades by being well rested. Similarly, another area where more sleep enhances a student's’ life is the more rest for after school activities. Having to wake up at 6:oo am, learn all day, and then go to a sporting event is too much for teens to handle. In areas where the school starting time is pushed later, athlete’s’ skills are enhanced in after school games and practices due to their gain in sleep (Times). Moreover, later start times not only help the students with their grades but also on the field because they are well rested. One last example of a better student life are having safer commutes to school. High schoolers who are able to drive often drive to school. Waking up early in the morning then driving while not fully awake is dangerous. Statistics show that when school times are later, accident rates on the way to school are lessened because students are more alert (Times). Clearly, later starting times help students be better students and athletes, but also keep everyone safer. In all, teens overall life at school becomes better in many aspects with a later start.

Although later school starting times seem like they would benefit students, some people argue that later school starting times would be inconvenient for parents and students due to later after school activities (Times). Even though later school starting times might seem inconvenient at first, it is still true that by making schools starting times later, students will be using the same time schedule as working parents. If schools ended at 5PM, the schedule would align with a parent work day much better. There would be less time sitting at home with parents unable to drive kids to sports. If school times are pushed back later, it would be more convenient for parents and students to have the same schedule.

As aforementioned, Early school times are what is killing students and a later school start is the solution. By having later school starting times students’ will be healthier by getting better sleep, they will learn more in their morning classes, and they can learn more in school. BY having later school start times we will change students lives for the better. If teens continue down this road they will not be living up to their full potential.  If schools do not change we will have generations of average people who could be above average. In other words, people need to come together and rally to get schools to change their corrupt ways. Stop the crime, push back the time.

Works Cited
GONCHAR, MICHAEL. "Should the School Day Start Later?" The Learning Network. The New
York Times Web. 22
Apr. 2016. .

Kalish, Nancy. "The Early Bird Gets the Bad Grade." The New York Times. The New York Times, 13
Jan.
2008. Web. 22 Apr. 2016..

Yeager, Ashley. "Survey Finds U.S. Schools Start 'too Early'" Student Science.  Society for Science &
the Public Web. 22 Apr. 2016.
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