Later school start times benefit the sleep schedules of adolescents, with seventh and eighth graders reporting a longer duration of sleep and less sleepiness during the day, according to findings published in the Journal of School Health.

“When [teenagers] do not sleep on a regular schedule — at the optimal time for the optimal amount of time — there can be serious short- and long-term effects on health, particularly cardiometabolic health, mental health, safety and learning,” Daniel S. Lewin, PhD, DABSM, CBSM, associate director of sleep medicine at Children’s National Health System, told Infectious Diseases in Children. “The bottom line is that sleep health is one of the essential pillars of good health behavior that includes optimal nutrition, sleep duration and timing and regular exercise.”