Page 3 - Hawaii Island MidWeek - May 12, 2021

MAY 12, 2021
HAWAI‘I ISLAND MIDWEEK 3
PDon’t Sleep On This
erhaps the most bizarre school year in history is ending. We’ve shown that kids can survive radical change and hopefully rebound with resiliency. It’s
now time to look at the start times of our high schools. The average for public high schools on O‘ahu is about 8 a.m. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the American Academy of Pediatricians both recommend that high schools start no earlier than 8:30 a.m.
Biology is a key factor in analyzing sleep cycles, as this is not just about traffic or common sense. It’s about teenage circadian rhythms and the fact that adolescents simply aren’t at their best when roused too early for school. For example, Kaimukī High starts at 9 a.m., and schools in 46 states are now starting later to account for a teenager’s need for more sleep and the fact that early morning classes are not as robust or as worthwhile as they could be, since teen zombies often aren’t primed to learn.
Yes, there are logistical problems — sibling school times, parent work rituals, bus schedules, after-school activities and childcare. But let’s take a serious look at it before simply reverting to our unproductive norm. Cali- fornia moved school start times later. Quality and amount of sleep, attentiveness, student driving, school attendance, on-time arrival — all have been shown to improve when kids get even 30 minutes more sack time nightly.
Chaminade University psychology professor (and local sleep expert) Tracy Trevorrow, Ph.D., stated on KITV that “it is fairly clear from the science that starting school lat- er will help.” It’s not just about learning and test scores. As Trevorrow also said, starting school before 8:30 a.m. “contributes to a nation of chronically sleep-deprived stu- dents.” It’s about health and a quantifiable opportunity to enhance attentiveness as we see increases in test scores. Finland, Japan, England and Australia (to name just a few) start school after 8:30 a.m., and all outperform the U.S. on student achievement tests. The shift to starting at 8 a.m. in America (versus 9 a.m.) came about only within the past 50 years, and took place before science understood teenage circadian rhythms.
Both the AAP and CDC, as well as a study done in Seat- tle public schools, have all shown that delayed start times work. Lots of research to ingest, but the time has come. Actually, it came years ago. Start high school days later, or at least seriously discuss it — but let’s not sleep on it.
Think about it ...
john@thinkaboutithawaii.com