School closure has one big advantage. And according to researchers, we should do something about it – Wel.nl

School closures had several main disadvantages. Think of a lack of social contacts and a decline in educational performance. But there was also a big plus: teenagers slept better.

Research has shown that school closures have made students more anxious and depressed. They also moved less and hung more behind screens. But they can also sleep longer, which has already benefited their health.

Researchers asked 3,664 high school students in the Swiss city of Zurich about their sleep habits. As it turns out: During the three-month school shutdown, they woke up 90 minutes later, on average, while they went to bed only 15 minutes later. Increase sleep for 75 minutes.

As a result, they felt slightly better about themselves and drank less alcohol and caffeine, the researchers said. “Although the closure has clearly deteriorated the well-being of many young people, our findings also reveal a surprising benefit of closing schools that have so far not received much attention,” said researcher Oscar Jenny.

Adequate sleep is important for health. It also leads to better concentration and reduced anxiety. According to the researchers, schools should start an hour later. “The early start of the school day in Switzerland conflicts with the normal biologically determined sleep patterns of adolescents,” the research group wrote. “Because young people have to get up early for school, a lot of people are chronically sleep deprived.”