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High school students are finding the right balance between late nights and early mornings to best support their academic and personal goals. Many factors go into creating the right sleep schedule for students’ lives. It is recommended that high school students should be getting around nine hours of sleep on average. According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, it is most important for teenagers aged 13 to 18 to get enough hours of sleep a night, something most students cannot achieve. Across the United States about two thirds of high school students have been reported sleeping less than eight hours on average during school nights.
A California law that required schools to start later was signed by Governor Gavin newsom in July of 2022. Because it is a proven fact that sleep is vital to students’ well-being and to the performance of their mental and physical abilities, the state decided to set a start time no later than 8:30 a.m. for all public high schools. San Marin has a start time of 8:30 a.m. which allows students to get an adequate amount of sleep so they can have a focused mind for the day full of rigorous activities.
Sports play a significant role in life at San Marin, shaped by the commitment of its student athletes, like sophomore Jackson Tobler. Tobler is a member of the club swim team, Thunder Coast Aquatics, which practices at 6 a.m., four days a week.
“I fall asleep at nine and wake up at five because of my morning practice for swim,” Tobler said. “I think [my sleep schedule is] pretty good, I get about eight to nine hours of sleep.”
Going to bed early and waking up early can improve students’ motivation for the day because it is much easier to get a full night’s rest when students stick to an early bedtime schedule. Senior Ruth Brewer wakes up early to start the day off right, which motivates her to have a productive day.
“Getting up at five a.m. is really hard, but the feeling after working out, [I] feel so much more awake and ready to start
[my] day,” Brewer said. “I am so much happier when I get eight or nine hours of sleep at night while still having time to take care of myself and getting my work done.”
Getting the recommended amount of sleep can look different for students who are committed to multiple activities. Early mornings aren’t the only time to be productive: many students also find it beneficial to stay up late. Sophomore Kaylee Davis prioritizes her academic performance but still finds time to participate in horseback riding after school.
“I feel more productive when I stay up late because I can get all of my homework done and have nothing to worry about in the morning,” Davis said.
Recent studies show that roughly 77% of teens fail to get significant sleep, increasing to 83% for 12th graders. Teens’ mental, physical, social, and emotional development require consistent and quality sleep.
