Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 26, 2025
08:36
Collecting Sleep, Circadian, Fatigue, and Performance Data in Complex Operational Environments
Published on: August 8, 2019
12.4K
Perceived Barriers and Facilitating Factors in Implementing Delayed School Start Times to Improve Adolescent Sleep
Julia M Fitzpatrick1, Graciela E Silva2, Kimberly D Vana3
1Family Nurse Practitioner, (jmfitzpatrick@hotmail.com), Benefis Healthcare System, 1101 26th Street South, Great Falls, MT 59405.
The Journal of School Health
|December 8, 2020
Summary
Delayed school start times can improve adolescent sleep. Key factors for success include involving school administrators and providing sleep education, overcoming barriers like bus logistics and athletics scheduling.
Area of Science:
- Sleep Medicine
- Public Health
- Educational Administration
Background:
- Adolescent sleep deprivation is a significant public health issue in the US.
- Early school start times are a major contributor to insufficient sleep in teenagers.
- Quantifying barriers to delayed start times is crucial for policy implementation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify and quantify perceived barriers to implementing delayed high school start times.
- To explore facilitating factors for successful implementation of delayed start times.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study design.
- Online questionnaire administered to school administrators who had already delayed start times.
- Ranking of perceived barriers and facilitating factors.
Main Results:
- Common barriers included lack of tiered bus systems, impact on athletes' afternoon classes, and reduced time for after-school activities.
- Key facilitating factors were administrator involvement in decision-making and sleep education for families and staff.
Conclusions:
- Sleep education and stakeholder involvement in decision-making positively influence the adoption of delayed school start times.
- Overcoming implementation barriers is achievable with stakeholder support and dedicated planning committees.
Related Concept Videos
01:13Insufficient Sleep and Sleep Deprivation
655
Insufficient sleep refers to not getting the recommended amount of sleep for optimal functioning, even if it's just slightly less than needed. Sleep insufficiency may occur due to lifestyle choices, such as staying up late for social events or work, resulting in routinely getting less sleep than required. For example, consistently sleeping 6 hours when the body needs 7-9 hours can lead to cumulative effects on health and well-being.
Sleep deprivation is a more severe form of sleep loss...
Sleep deprivation is a more severe form of sleep loss...
655
01:19Management of Insomnia
400
The sleep cycle, an integral part of human health, consists of several stages with distinct characteristics and functions. It begins with a transition from wakefulness to sleep, known as the light sleep phase, followed by the restorative deep sleep phase, essential for physical recovery and growth. The cycle concludes with the Rapid Eye Movement (REM) phase, characterized by high brain activity and vivid dreaming. Insomnia, a prevalent sleep disorder, involves difficulty falling asleep, staying...
400
01:24Substance Use Disorders Affecting Sleep
286
Substance use disorders involve a pattern of using drugs more extensively than intended and continuing use despite harmful consequences. This includes legal substances like alcohol and nicotine, as well as illegal drugs. These disorders often involve both physical and psychological dependence, reflecting compulsive use of substances that significantly alter thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, contributing to a major public health issue.
Understanding the concepts of physical dependence,...
Understanding the concepts of physical dependence,...
286
01:15Chronopharmacokinetics: Circadian Rhythms and Influence on Drug Response
226
Circadian rhythms are cyclic changes that are crucial in plasma drug concentrations. Various standard circadian parameters, including core body temperature, heart rate, and other cardiovascular factors, directly impact disease states and the therapeutic response to drug therapy.
The time of drug administration is an important factor to consider, as it can influence the toxic dose of a drug. For example, a study conducted by Prins et al. in 1997 examined the effects of the timing of...
The time of drug administration is an important factor to consider, as it can influence the toxic dose of a drug. For example, a study conducted by Prins et al. in 1997 examined the effects of the timing of...
226
01:27Insomnia
260
Insomnia is a prevalent sleep disorder characterized by difficulty falling asleep, frequent awakenings during the night, and waking up too early without being able to return to sleep. People with insomnia often experience these disruptions at least three nights a week for at least one month. Chronic insomnia, which lasts for at least three months, can lead to increased anxiety, which in turn can worsen sleep difficulties, creating a cycle of sleeplessness and stress.
Multiple factors contribute...
Multiple factors contribute...
260
01:11Understanding Sleep
1.2K
Sleep, an essential biological state, involves significant reductions in physical activity, sensory awareness, and interaction with the environment. This complex physiological process is primarily regulated by specific brain regions, notably the hypothalamus and pons, which govern the sleep-wake cycle or circadian rhythm.
The circadian rhythm, a nearly 24-hour cycle, is deeply influenced by environmental light cues. Light exposure directly affects the hypothalamus, which in turn regulates...
The circadian rhythm, a nearly 24-hour cycle, is deeply influenced by environmental light cues. Light exposure directly affects the hypothalamus, which in turn regulates...
1.2K