SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO AM) - A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study says middle and high school students would do better in school and make heathier choices if they got more sleep.
Epidemiologist Anne Wheaton says one in five students in South Dakota gets between eight and nine hours of sleep a night, the minimum recommened by the CDC.
Wheaton says puberty delays sleep, meaning teenagers need more time to get going in the morning because their bodies keep them up later at night.
Wheaton says the American Academy of Pediatrics urges middle and high schools to start classes no earlier than 8:30.
Parents can help children practice good sleep habit by observing a consistent schedule, even on weekends.