Alarms. We all hate them. The whirring, buzzing, annoying cacophonous sounding object that wakes us up at the crack of dawn so we can get ready for school. We slam our hands down over the snooze button, praying for just 5 more minutes. Hauling ourselves out of bed and glancing at the pitch black sky, the daily routine begins.

Why does the school day start so early? Many students have asked themselves this question their entire high school careers.

Frankly, school should start at least an hour later than it does. Students are so tired all the time, they usually don’t have the energy to participate in after school activities or sports, because they just want to go home and sleep. Parents, faculty, and administrators say we should get involved, but how can we get involved when we are going through a full day of school on 6 hours of sleep, and are so tired after school that we can barely keep our heads up?

If school started at a later time, students would be more awake and more focused in class. People would be alert and able to get better grades, because they wouldn’t be falling asleep at their desks during a test or quiz. When students don’t get enough sleep one night, it’s going to affect their entire week at school. According to the National Institute of Health, 75% of high school students are sleep deprived, and the early start times of high school disrupt teenagers sleep patterns, and in turn, their hormones and sometimes even their health.

Sleep deprivation can lead to serious repercussions. In particular, it can affect academic standings among students. Studying for a test until 2:00am because of the lack of time beforehand and then having to get up at 6:00am can really take a toll on your body and your mind. Depriving high school students of sleep can also lead to students becoming more reserved, quiet, and un-social. It is very unhealthy to start school this early, it is defying the biological makeup of teenagers, and if school started even an hour later, students would improve academically, physically, mentally, and emotionally. As well as be able to get through the day without falling asleep at their desks.

Why do we continue to get up this early? Is it to much to ask for just one more hour of sleep?