Just half an hour extra in bed 'makes teenagers happier and more alert'



Giving teenagers half an hour of extra sleep before school each day dramatically improves their behaviour, a study has found.

Youngsters who had 30 minutes more shut-eye were more alert and in a better mood in class, were less likely to be late for lessons and even ate healthier breakfasts.

'The results were stunning. There's no other word to use,' said Patricia Moss, the head of the Rhode Island boarding school where the research took place.



'We didn't think we'd get that much bang for the buck.'

Teens tend to be in their deepest sleep around dawn - when they typically need to get up for school (posed)

Researchers say even 30 minutes can make a big difference because teens tend to be in their deepest sleep around dawn - when they typically need to get up for school.



Interrupting that sleep can leave them groggy, especially since they also tend to have trouble falling asleep before 11pm.

Study author Dr Judith Owens from Hasbro Children's Hospital, Rhode Island, said: 'There's biological science to this that I think provides compelling evidence as to why this makes sense.'

Overall, 201 high school students completed sleep habit surveys before and after the nine-week experiment last year. The results were so impressive that the school made the change permanent, Patricia Moss said.



Starting times were shifted from 8 to 8:30. All class times were cut 5 to 10 minutes to avoid a longer school day that would interfere with after-school activities.



The portion of students reporting at least eight hours of sleep on school nights jumped from about 16 per cent to almost 55 per cent. Reports of daytime sleepiness dropped substantially, from 49 per cent to 20 per cent.



First-period lateness fell by almost half, students reported feeling less depressed or irritated during the day, health centre rest visits dropped substantially; and the number of hot breakfasts served more than doubled.



Recent graduate Garrett Sider, 18, used the extra time for sleep. He noticed kids took part more often in morning classes with the later start time.



'It was a positive thing for the entire school,' he said.



The study was designed to look at changes in sleep habits and behavior and didn't examine academic performance.



It also lacked a control group of students who didn't experience a change in school start times - another limitation. Still, the researchers said the results show delaying school starting times is worthwhile.

The results appear in July's Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine. An Archives editorial said the study adds to 'a growing body of evidence that changing the start time for high schools is good for adolescents.'



Mel Riddile, an associate director at the National Association of Secondary School Principals in the U.S, favours later class times for teens but said most districts oppose it.



'It's about adult convenience, it's not about learning,' he said.