Early in the morning, lethargic students file through the school doors as they do not feel ready

for the school day ahead of them.

Most seem as if they just woke up, some having the luxury of drinking a cup of coffee, as they all jam the halls in hopes of getting to class before the bell rings.

The image of drowsy teens sleeping or yawning throughout the first few hours of school isn’t unusual for teachers when that shouldn’t be the case at all.  of dozing off during lessons, students should be listening intently. However, it’s almost impossible considering the lack of sleep those students have due to the too early starting times of schools.

Students attending public middle and high schools starting before 8:30 a.m. suffer the consequences of not getting the 8.5 to 9.5 hours of sleep they need in order to perform well throughout the school year. Teens will react in a positive way if they get the proper amount of sleep every night without being awakened early in the morning barely ready for the school day ahead of them. Students can also face depression just from simply not getting enough sleep. “Depression can stem from any sleep disorder that causes chronic fatigue and mood problems. But insomnia, the inability to fall asleep or stay asleep, is the sleep disorder most often linked to depression,” according to the National Sleep Foundation.

School administrators believe that the schedule changing for school start times will greatly affect how the school runs throughout the day. Administrators would have to delay busing schedules, coaches worry about scheduling practices and parents rely on the current start times for childcare and carpools. Students would be in classes in later parts of the day and would have to fix schedules pertaining jobs and extracurricular activities. All these reasons are why school districts are hesitating to delay school start times till later on in the day.

Getting ready for school while worrying about arriving in time has proven to be too much of a hassle for students, especially when it’s undoubtedly too early in the morning. Delaying schools all over the country for another hour or so would make it easier for them all. It will also help them get the sleep that they need in order to function properly during school hours.

There’s a sense of dread and reluctance that fills teens every single morning of the weekdays because they’re simply exhausted. They’re tired of not being able to keep their eyes open during class, and they’re tired of waking up when they’re not even close to ready. If only schools would start at a later time, that could all be fixed. Maybe even teachers can benefit from it, too.