Most scientists would agree with this chart below for the amount of sleep that each age group needs:
However, according to CDC’s research in 2015, “about 7 out of 10 (72.7%) did not get enough sleep on school nights.” You probably have already heard the news about teens’ sleep deprivation but it's been years since the research around the teen sleep cycle was released but nothing was changed for the students. “Research has established that teens have a biological tendency to go to sleep as much as two hours later. The sleep cycle for teens shifts toward later times and the push to fall asleep builds more slowly.” In addition, biologically, "the melatonin secretion turns off later in the morning, making it hard for students to wake up early.”
School start time deserves more attention in the education system and it should be more flexible to fit different student’s needs. In college, students are allowed to enroll in courses based on their preferred schedule while high school students are forced to follow the given schedule set by adults. Above all, “more than 4 in 5 (82.3%) of U.S. middle, high, and combined public schools require students to attend class at times earlier than recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and American Medical Association.”
As a victim of sleep deprivation, this is an issue that needs both individual and societal attention. Putting myself into bed by 11 PM and ending up falling asleep by 2 AM is not as enjoyable as others imagined it to be. Not everyone chooses to sleep late, and not everyone is able to fall asleep on will.
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