Mumbai:
According to a British scientist schools deprive children of sleep by starting early in the morning. At a recently held British Science Fair children aged 8 to 10 should start schools at 8:30 am or later while 16- years-old should start at 10 am, for 18-years-old 11 is the best time.
Why?
According to the British scientist Paul Kelly, an Oxford University professor who is working along with American scientists at Harvard University in a research paper published that children in Britain lose around 10 hours of sleep every week.
Reasons of sleep deprivation
Considering the fact that children across the world are more hooked to their cell phones and iPads which results into lesser hours of sleep and more of active hours. Sleep deprivation is emerging as one of the biggest risk factors for diseases ranging from diabetes to obesity to depression. In India children step out of their houses for schools even before the sunrise but that begets sleep deprivation. So what should be done to prevent this and make children sleep for enough hours but changing school timings and sticking to cell phones habits would not be that easy.
According to sleep specialist Dr Ramanathan Iyer of L H Hiranandani Hospital, Powai, "I had mooted the idea in medical circles years back because children are increasingly not sleeping enough through the night, but there was not response.”
Factors affecting school timings
There are some of the factors that have to be taken into consideration before changing school timings so that children can have enough sleep for the day. In Mumbai schools run in double shifts due to lack of space, traffic during peak hours and non-availability of extra-curricular activities in schools. So there has to be a proper balance of time so that children can have enough time for sleep, play and leisure activities.
A study conducted by sleep specialist Dr Preeti Devnani from Jaslok Hospital, Pedder Road, found that ‘eight out of every 10 teenagers suffered from sleep deprivation’. "Children and adolescents stay up late due to reasons like working parents coming home late, other social lifestyles and biological changes that take place during puberty," she said.
Hence a lot of thought has to be put before deciding for the best school timings for school going children. Keeping in mind to keep enough leisure time for them to keep them health and fit. Should students be sent school in the week hours of morning, the debate goes on. Let us know what do you have to say on this,we would like to have your commentsin the same.
