OPINION: Later Start Times = More Sleep for Overtired MVHS

By GABRIELLE SHIOZAWA

Moapa Valley Progress

A recent survey conducted at MVHS found that 96.6% of our students aren’t getting enough sleep. The Nationwide Children’s Hospital reports that teenagers need approximately 9.5 hours of sleep to function properly, while the majority of Pirates find themselves getting 7.5 hours or less every night.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention reports that sleep deprivation can lead to being overweight, drinking alcohol, using drugs, and performing poorly academically.

A primary reason for this lack of sleep in students in not only Moapa Valley but across the nation is that schools start too early. School begins at 7:15 for MVHS, which means that most students have to wake up by 6:00 or earlier to get to school on time. This problem is further exacerbated for the many students who participate in early-morning seminary, which begins at 6:00 am.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, middle and high schools alike ought to begin at 8:30 am or later in order to give students the opportunity to get more rest. 69% of Pirates agree that they would be better rested if school started later in the day.

“I feel like I would focus better,” commented junior Abby Dursteler.

“I have an open during the first two periods on blue days,” added MVHS senior Mikelle Ericksen. “I always feel much better rested when I only need to be to school by 10:00 am than I do on gold days, when I have to be there at 7:00.”

Clearly, change needs to happen to ensure that our students get more sleep. Our first step is to fix Moapa Valley—next, maybe we can change the nation