M2 Comprehensive Assignment
Letter to the school
Dear Jack Britt Highschool,
One of the best days I’ve ever had was on a Monday when I found out that my bus came
late. It was only 25 minutes, but I can promise you, I felt like a different person. Those 25
minutes allowed my brain to get a quick restart, getting rid of any sleep inertia I was struggling
with in the morning. My academic performance that day was amazing, and I felt like I was on a
different level of productivity. That got me thinking- if I felt so good with that little of a nap,
imagine if I could wake up like this every day! This is why I’m sending you this letter today. I
want to propose the idea of providing a “delayed start” for high school students. This is because
a delayed start would align with a teenager's natural circadian rhythm, improve cognitive
function and mood (which leads to better academic development), and avoid the possible
dangers that sleep deprivation can cause at a young age.
First, teenager’s natural circadian rhythm. When puberty hits, the youth undergo a shift
in their circadian clock, causing them to struggle more when trying to fall asleep. This causes
them to sleep much later in the night, while being able to stay up much longer during the day.
It’s clear- the systems are outdated. What worked for them when they were elementary
schoolers, will physically not work for students when they’re teenagers. For example, the
change in their clock will cause them to sleep much later, and with tons of highschool-level
homework on their backs, they’ll end up pushing themselves past their own circadian rhythm.
They’ll lack quality Non-REM and REM sleep, which will lead to sleep deprivation, which could
ultimately lead to dangerous sleep disorders like insomnia and somnambulism.
Second, the improved cognitive function. When students acquire 8-10 hours of
paradoxical sleep, it gives the brain a chance to produce growth hormones. Puberty is a crucial
time for growth, and without adequate sleep, teenagers will be unable to get enough necessary
growth hormones and could stunt their health. Yet, the brain’s powers don’t stop there; the
information processing and cognitive theories, which means that dreams help people convert
their memories into long-term storage and reflect on the day’s memories (respectively), while
rather theoretical, are written examples of how important that reset is to teenager’s mind
development. Another great example of how improved sleep helps with cognitive and mood of
teenagers is that the increased sleep allows for parts of their brain to operate better. The
reticular activating system, which is the bundle of nerves located in the midbrain, is responsible
for focus and attention. This is very important during school, as it allows them to absorb
information much better. Without that crucial sleep, that part (and many others) of the brain end
up doing much worse. This shows why a late start would help so much in protecting the
cognitive development of the youth.
Third, avoiding the dangers that lack of sleep could lead to. When students are sleepy,
they end up in a state of hypnagogic sensation. That means that the body is in a drowsy state of
wakefulness and sleep. In fear of performing badly academically, students end up turning to
drastic measures. For example, students may turn to caffeine. Caffeine is classified as a
stimulant under the label of psychoactive drugs, where it blocks the adenosine receptors in the
brain, preventing the feeling of tiredness. Yet, high levels of daily caffeine usage could lead to
stunts in growth, and a drug dependency. That means that these young students won't be able
to function normally without a constant source of caffeine, and if they end up developing a
tolerance, they could turn to much more dangerous and stimulating drugs like ecstasy and
cocaine.
In all, I strongly believe that highschoolers would benefit deeply from a delayed start.
This is because it’ll align much better with teenager’s circadian rhythms, significantly improve
cognitive functions and mood, and steer teenagers away from taking any drastic measures to
stay awake. Our world is constantly changing, and with our youth constantly changing too, I
think it’s time we change our wake up times too.
Thank you!
Sincerely,
Abharika Gurung