At Lynnfield Middle School, 44 students were surveyed about how school affects their mental health. Of those, 27 students, or 61%, reported being affected by mental health issues due to school. When asked if school negatively impacts their mental health, 34 students said yes. The main reasons given were too much homework, not enough sleep, and waking up too early. These issues are all connected. Many teachers assign a lot of homework, and students don't have enough time to complete it during school hours, forcing them to finish it at home. A lot of students also play sports, which often involves late-night practices or practices right after school, leaving little time for a break. If practice runs late, they get home and go to bed late, which makes it harder to get enough sleep. With school starting at 7:40 AM, many students aren't getting enough rest to stay awake at school and do better on school work. Studies have shown how later school start times, improves students mood, increases energy, helps concentrate better in class helps with mental health, less tardiness, and improved academic performance.
