Overview
- In 2023, 77% of U.S. high school students reported less than the recommended 8–10 hours of sleep, up from 69% in 2007, according to a JAMA analysis of CDC Youth Risk Behavior Study data through 2023.
- The overall rise is driven by more teens reporting five hours of sleep or less, which increased from 16% to 23% over the study period.
- Insufficient sleep increased across all demographic groups, with larger gains among Black students compared with white students.
- Increases were as large or larger among teens without behavioral risk factors, suggesting structural drivers such as early school start times rather than solely individual choices.
- Coverage and experts point to evidence that later high school start times increase sleep and reduce depression symptoms, aligning with the American Academy of Pediatrics’ recommendation to start no earlier than 8:30 a.m.