In America, California has made a decision that will impact the schedules of all high schools in the state. Its governor believes that this measure can contribute to the well-being and health of students. Indeed, this law simply follows the recommendations of American pediatricians.
As CNN explains in an October 14, 2019 article, California is the first US state to pass a high school scheduling law. From 2022, establishments will no longer be able to have lessons before 8:30 a.m. . Colleges are also affected and will not be able to take lessons before 8 a.m. On the other hand, schools located in rural areas are not included in the measure.
As a state, California is therefore a pioneer in this area in the United States. Remember that in this country, nearly four out of five middle schools and high schools open before 8:30 a.m. according to a study conducted by the CDC published in 2015. Previously, some districts had nevertheless already observed beneficial effects after shifting their schedules.
For Governor Gavin Newsom, it was about following recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM). According to them, studies conducted in the past have shown that adolescents who start their day a little later have better academic results , better health and had a lower rate of absenteeism. However, this is linked to the biological clock of adolescents.
Teenagers should sleep 8-10 a night and at this age more than any other, lack of sleep can be problematic. These include problems with attention, behavior and learning. Even more serious, it can promote the onset of diabetes, obesity and hypertension. The risks behind the wheel are also to be taken into account. Indeed, young people can drive from the age of 16 in the United States. Finally, in the most extreme cases, it can also lead to depression , a condition sometimes leading to self-harm and even suicide.
At this time in their lives, teenagers fall asleep later . Therefore, they should also wake up later. And telling them to go to bed earlier wouldn't be a good solution.
Sources:CNN – Slate
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