Later start for classes could benefit teens
By MADDIE PARKER
Laurel Springs Academy
With the school day starting so early, intense homework loads, and sports or after-school jobs, the lives of high school students are so busy that many are awake longer than they should be.
The National Sleep Foundation indicates that lack of sleep among teenagers can result in difficulty focusing, taking in and retaining information, irritability, acne, plus a tendency to overeat.
In order to steer clear of those nasty side effects, teens require between 8.5 and 9.5 hours of sleep per night – depending on the individual. Biologically, teenagers need more sleep than adults until they reach their early 20s.