The high-pitched and shrill attendance bell at CHS rings punctually at 8:15 a.m. Students walk into their classroom ready to learn, but most are yearning for a chance for a couple more hours of precious sleep.

Some of the students are involved in early morning activities and classes that compel us to set our alarm clocks to an even earlier time. The early risers have made the choice to arrive early, they could opt to arrive at school later but choose to attend a zero hour class.

Early morning start times create a challenge for youth to obtain the recommended eight to ten hours of sleep each night. Many high school students go to sleep long after the midnight hour during the school year. Most students do not get enough sleep. Research indicates that our developing minds need sleep, yet the majority of high schools in our nation, including CHS, have too early of a start time.

A typical high school student’s afternoons are filled with sports, music, theater practices or part-time jobs followed by late nights jam-packed with homework and studying for exams. Teens are constantly balancing the weight of many demands on their time. When students finally crawl into bed and set their cell phone alarm clocks for a few hours of precious sleep, they must then hit the snooze button several times to grab some extra minutes of prized shut-eye.

Our lack of sleep stems from a combination of screen time, overwhelming amount of homework and sleep patterns that makes it challenging to get to sleep earlier in the evening. According to The National Sleep Foundation, teens feel more alert at night making it challenging for high school youth to get to sleep before 11 p.m. Later school starts times can help solve the problem. Even 30 minutes of additional sleep has huge benefits.

Dr. Terri Riutcel, an Associate Professor of Neurology at Washington University in St. Louis, specializes in sleep.

“The optimal sleep amount that most teenagers need is about 8.5-9.5 hours, although a few teens may feel better with more sleep and a handful of teens may do okay with a little less,” Riutcel said. “Adolescents who don’t get enough sleep often suffer from physical and mental health problems. Drowsy driving is a big problem that carries risk of serious injury and death. Sleep-deprived teens have increased risk of automobile accidents. Drug abuse can occur when teens try to counteract daytime sleepiness by misusing stimulant medications. Academic performance declines when teens do not get enough sleep.”

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends school start no earlier than 8:30 a.m., but the majority of high schools in the United States start before 8:00 a.m.

Students can help create change and foster healthier school learning environments. The Organization startschoollater.net is a national group committed to starting schools later that provides resources, guidance and suggestions on how to incorporate change at your school. CHS students can push back the start clock and help youth obtain the amount of sleep needed to thrive.