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Adaptations Needed to Address Adolescents’ Circadian Rhythms

Sleep is the fuel that humans need to properly function. The amount of sleep people need is determined by their circadian rhythm, or biological clock. A teenager’s circadian rhythm differs from that found in an adult or younger child. While going through puberty, teenagers need more sleep than when they become adults. Researchers from the National Sleep Foundation have identified several changes in sleep patterns, sleep/wake systems, and circadian timing associated with puberty. In the last decade, a few high schools from around the world have changed to a later start time that would better suit the sleep cycles of their students. Studies by the National Sleep Foundation in the last five years have shown that schools with later start times better suit their student’s sleep cycles, decreased the dropout rate, and that the students are more alert and have better grades. All schools should change their start......

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Approximate Word Count: 1778
Approximate Pages: 8 (250 words per double-spaced page)

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