Health hazard: Drs. Schack & Mehra: Teens not getting enough sleep because of school schedule & pressure
Mira Costa will look into zero-period, start time to address teen sleep issues
The Beach Reporter, November 14, 20
http://tinyurl.com/b4f7bvu
by Carley Dryden
Local doctor Linda Schack, an adolescent medicine specialist, had grown concerned.
High school students flooded her practice complaining of headaches, abdominal pain and fatigue. When she asked how much sleep they got on weekdays, she received the same answer: six hours. But on weekends, they would sleep until noon or 1 p.m.
Alarmed by the local teens’ sleep patterns and ailments, Schack and fellow doctor Mini Mehra reviewed scientific literature on the topic and presented their findings to the Manhattan Beach Unified School District’s Medical Advisory Board last year. Schack and Mehra found that schools with later start times reported less tardiness, better grades, less visits to the nurse’s office, and fewer disciplinary problems. Jessamine County, KY saw a 16.5% reduction in motor vehicle accidents in 2003, when the high school start time moved 50 minutes later.
“This is affecting the health of our kids,” Schack said. “That’s why we’re concerned. It’s a medical health issue.”
The Beach Reporter, November 14, 20
http://tinyurl.com/b4f7bvu
by Carley Dryden
Local doctor Linda Schack, an adolescent medicine specialist, had grown concerned.
High school students flooded her practice complaining of headaches, abdominal pain and fatigue. When she asked how much sleep they got on weekdays, she received the same answer: six hours. But on weekends, they would sleep until noon or 1 p.m.
Alarmed by the local teens’ sleep patterns and ailments, Schack and fellow doctor Mini Mehra reviewed scientific literature on the topic and presented their findings to the Manhattan Beach Unified School District’s Medical Advisory Board last year. Schack and Mehra found that schools with later start times reported less tardiness, better grades, less visits to the nurse’s office, and fewer disciplinary problems. Jessamine County, KY saw a 16.5% reduction in motor vehicle accidents in 2003, when the high school start time moved 50 minutes later.
“This is affecting the health of our kids,” Schack said. “That’s why we’re concerned. It’s a medical health issue.”
