AAP Policy Statement on Late School Start for Adolescent Sleep Deprivation

Recommendations to pediatric clinicians focus on educating patients, parents, and educators to support policy change in school start times.

Sponsoring Organization: American Academy of Pediatrics

Target Population: Pediatric healthcare providers

Background and Objective

The average amount of nightly sleep of high school seniors is <7 hours, and most teenagers have difficulty falling asleep before 11:00 pm. Insufficient sleep in adolescence begins at puberty with the onset of a sleep-wake “phase delay” and delayed nocturnal melatonin secretion. Lifestyle choices and academic challenges are additional factors.

Research studies of sleep patterns in adolescents demonstrate that delaying school start times is an effective strategy to reverse chronic sleep loss, which can impair mental health, physical health, safety, and academic achievement. A new policy statement from the American Aca…

Reviewing Author

Martin T. Stein, MD

Disclosures

Consultant / Advisory boardPearson Neuroscience Advisory Board

Speaker’s bureauAmerican Academy of Pediatrics

RoyaltiesElsevier, Inc.

Editorial boardsJournal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics