did not stay up significantly later; they
simply slept in longer, a behavior that sci-
entists say is consistent with the natural
biological rhythms of adolescents.
“Research to date has shown that the
circadian rhythms of adolescents are fun-
damentally different from those of adults
and children,” said lead study author
Gideon Dunster, a UW doctoral student
in biology.
The onset of puberty lengthens the
circadian cycle in adolescents and also
decreases the rhythm’s sensitivity to light
in the morning. These changes cause
teens to fall asleep later each night and
wake up later each morning relative to
most children and adults.
“All of the studies of adolescent sleep
patterns in the United States are showing
that the time which teens generally fall
asleep is biologically determined — but
the time at which they wake up is socially
determined,” said Dunster. “This has se-
vere consequences for health and well-be-
ing, because disrupted circadian rhythms
can adversely affect digestion, heart rate,
body temperature, immune system func-
tion, attention span, and mental health.”
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Scientists generally recommend that
teens get 8 to 10 hours of sleep each night.
But early-morning social obligations —
such as school start times — force ado-
lescents to either shift their entire sleep
schedule earlier on school nights or short-
en it. Certain light emitting devices, such
as smartphones, computers, and even
lamps with blue-light LED bulbs — can
interfere with circadian rhythms in teens
and adults alike, delaying the onset of
sleep.
The study revealed other changes
beyond additional sleep time. After the
change, the wake-up times for students on
weekdays and weekends moved closer to-
gether. And their academic performance,
at least in the biology course, improved.
Final grades were 4.5 percent higher for
students who took the class after school
start times were pushed back, compared
with students who took the class when
school started earlier.
The American Academy of Pediat-
rics recommended in 2014 that middle
and high schools begin instruction no ear-
lier than 8:30am, though most U.S. high
schools start the day before then.
Source: University of Washington
January 2019 WNY Family 53