Sleep-deprived and screen-glued, America’s teens are getting a lesson they didn’t know they needed—how to sleep.
At a Glance
- Mansfield Senior High introduces sleep education for students
- Course teaches practical bedtime routines and digital hygiene
- Chronic sleep loss linked to depression and risky behaviors
- Sleep logs help students track patterns and improve rest
- Push aligns with global efforts for later school start times
Teaching Sleep in the Age of Exhaustion
At Mansfield Senior High School in Ohio, a new elective course titled “Sleep to Be a Better You” is arming students with the skills to reclaim rest in a world that rarely pauses. As smartphones buzz late into the night and academic and social demands pile up, many teens fall into a pattern of chronic fatigue that saps their mental and emotional health.
Tony Davis, one of the course’s supporters, told the New York Post, “It might sound odd to say that kids in high school have to learn the skills to sleep, but you’d be shocked how many just don’t know how to sleep.” The curriculum focuses on strategies like consistent bedtimes and limiting screen time—both vital to achieving the recommended 8–10 hours of nightly rest.
Watch TED-Ed’s video on Why School Should Start Later for Teens.
Sleep, Screens, and Student Sanity
Sleep deprivation in teens isn’t just a nuisance—it’s a serious health threat. According to AP News, poor sleep is tightly linked to rising rates of depression, anxiety, and even suicidality. “The evidence linking sleep and mental health is a lot tighter, more causal, than the evidence for social media and mental health,” noted UCLA professor Andrew Fuligni.
Students at Mansfield track their sleep with personal logs, examining how rest affects mood, alertness, and academic performance. These reflections help students build a tangible connection between lifestyle and mental health, fostering a sense of agency and accountability. “Walk into any high school in America,” Fuligni added, “and you will see kids asleep. On desks, benches, even designated nap couches—because they are exhausted.”
Aligning School With the Science
Mansfield’s initiative joins a global movement recognizing adolescent biology and the need for later school start times. Research from Flinders University shows that teens are wired to fall asleep and wake later than adults. Associate Professor Jessica Paterson emphasized, “Bad sleep is a really significant risk factor for a lot of things, and probably the most serious is suicidality.”
Dr. Paterson’s findings also point to academic benefits: students at schools with delayed start times report improved performance and better mental health. One student told researchers, “That buffer of 50 minutes means you can come to school [early] if you want, and do some schoolwork, but you’re not really obliged to unless you need it.”
A Model for Healthier Learning
“Sleep to Be a Better You” may be the first of its kind in Mansfield, but educators hope it sets a national precedent. As teen mental health reaches crisis levels, simple interventions like sleep education could offer powerful returns. By integrating biological science, daily habit tracking, and mental wellness into one curriculum, the school is setting the stage for smarter, more sustainable learning.
This isn’t just about snoozing through a lecture—it’s about waking up to what today’s students really need.
