Most U.S. middle and high schools start at 8:00 a.m. or earlier. This forces teens out of bed hours before their biological clocks tell them they're ready. One in five teens regularly falls asleep in class. Sleep-deprived teens suffer academically. And teen sleep loss contributes to many of the mental health problems that skyrocket in adolescents.

When teens don't get the sleep they need their brains, bodies, and behavior suffer. Around the time of puberty, kids experience a delay in their biological clock. This means that teenagers are hormonally programmed to stay awake later and sleep in later. And yet, most U.S. middle and high schools start at 8 a.m. or earlier forcing teens out of bed hours before their biological clocks tell them they're ready. It's kind of like everyday jetlag.

Not surprisingly, one in five teens regularly falls asleep in class and sleep-deprived teens suffer academically. But the consequences of teen sleep loss go well beyond the classroom contributing to many of the mental health problems.

Delaying school start times could help address these issues, says RAND's Wendy Troxel. Moreover, RAND research finds that delaying start times could boost the U.S. economy by increasing students' academic performance and potential lifetime earnings.

Read the full article on sleep by Wendy Troxel at RAND