Students at Big Spring High School should start 30 minutes later and get rid of A Flex. A Flex doesn’t contain any lunches; it is simply a work period or a time for clubs. These clubs could be scheduled another time during the week. It would be more beneficial to allow students to get an extra 30 minutes of sleep so they can perform exceptionally well in the rest of their classes. Lack of sleep can be extremely detrimental to adolescents. Researchers have analyzed the effects of sleep deprivation of anything less than 8.5 to 9 hours of sleep on school nights. Lack of sleep has been linked to an increase in car accidents in teens as well. People may say that the solution would be for teens to go to sleep earlier, but that isn’t always possible. Teens experience hormonal shifts making it harder for them to fall asleep earlier even when they’re tired. Studies by the AAP (Adolescent Sleep Working Group) show that delaying school by 30 minutes can have a massive impact on teens’ health and performance. Poor sleep can also be linked to a reliance on caffeine, tobacco, and alcohol. Allowing students to get better sleep and more sleep helps them not rely on caffeine. This can show improvements in their grades, and health and help them make better choices. Teens who don’t get enough sleep are at a higher risk of being overweight, not engaging in physical activity, suffering from depression, taking unhealthy risks, and performing poorly in school. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that schools should start before 8:30 a.m. When teens go through puberty their internal alarm clocks naturally shift, making it hard for them to fall asleep before 11 p.m. However they still need an average of 9 hours of sleep so when they are forced to wake up before the sun, they are missing out on crucial sleep. Sleep being lost isn’t only causing teens to fall asleep in class, it is also delaying the body’s growth and healing from injuries. Sleepy teens are more likely to feel depressed or anxious, as well as using drugs and alcohol. Many parents think they can catch up on sleep on the weekend, however, this makes it harder for them to wake up during the week. If the district removes A flex then they could push back the start time by 30 minutes. Alongside removing A Flex Big Spring could completely switch the elementary and high school start times so buses wouldn’t have to worry about doubling their capacity. This would be extremely beneficial to all students as they could get better sleep and perform better throughout the day.
