Abstract
School start times are incongruent with adolescent chronobiology, leading to chronic sleep loss for many adolescents. The negative consequences of inadequate sleep in this age group for cognition, psychological and physical health are well documented. Later school starts times have been associated with improved sleep, academic performance, and psychological wellbeing. However, research has focused on high schools with start times much earlier than those in Aotearoa New Zealand, and little is known about the perspectives of students themselves. The present study used a mixed methods approach to (a) investigate the relationships between school start times, sleep, and psychological health; and (b), explore the experiences and perspectives of students themselves on school start times.
Questionnaire data on sleep, psychological health, and school start time preferences were collected from Year 12 and 13 students (n = 428) in three Aotearoa New Zealand high schools. Regression analysis revealed sleep duration, latency, and sleep disturbance and sleep–related impairment were all significantly associated with poorer wellbeing and elevated symptoms of anxiety and depression. Short sleep (not meeting sleep health recommendations) was associated with elevated symptoms of depression (adjusted odds ratio 3.1, 95% CI 1.8–5.3), anxiety (adjusted odds ratio 1.9, 95% CI 1.1–3.3), and poor wellbeing (adjusted odds ratio 2.1, 95% CI 1.3–3.4). Most students (70%) expressed a preference for a later school start time (after 9:00 a.m.). The most commonly reported preferred school start times were 10:00 a.m. (26%) and 9:30 a.m. (17%). Preference for a later school start time was associated with later bedtimes, variability in weekday–weekend sleep schedules, greater sleep disturbance and sleep–related impairment, as well as higher reported symptoms of anxiety and depression. The most commonly reported advantage of later school start times was benefits for sleep, and the most cited downside was the potential for a later school finish time.
A subset of participants (n = 14) expressed interest in semi–structured interviews and purposive sampling was used to select students with and without experience of later school start times. Through thematic analysis, four themes were identified: sleep timing, consequences of sleep loss, student autonomy, and routines and scheduling. Most students reported that later school start times had a positive impact on their sleep, school functioning and personal wellbeing. The primary disadvantages described were loss of free periods during the day and the potential for a later school finish time.
Findings across both methods of this study illustrate the importance of sleep health for adolescent wellbeing. The quantitative study illustrates the interconnected nature of sleep and psychological health, while the qualitative portion captures participants’ largely positive experience of delayed school start times on a variety of life domains. Overall, the results underscore the need for adolescent sleep health to be considered in health and education policy and highlight the potential for interventions targeting sleep to improve mental health.