The aim is to investigate whether later school start times have positive effects on high school students' sleep patterns, mental health and daytime functioning.
The current study is a randomized controlled study investigating whether later school start times on Mondays and Tuesdays have positive impact on high school students' sleep patterns, mental health, and daytime functioning. 1st year high school students are randomly assigned to classes starting either two hours later on Mondays and one hour later on Tuesday and ordinary school start times (8:15 ± 15 min) for the rest of the week, or to classes starting at regularly school start times (8:15 ± 15 min.) all weekdays. The students will be invited to respond to a web-based survey assessing sleep, mental health, and daytime functioning by the beginning and end of the school year. Official school grades and school absence data will be collected through the county administration for consenting students. Cognitive tests and objective sleep record through Somnofy are planned for a subgroup by the end of the 2024-25 school year. The study will last for two school years and involve two different cohorts of 1st year high school students.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
200
The intervention group will start school two hours later on Mondays (at 10.15 ± 15 min) and one hour later on Tuesdays (9.15 ± 15 min) and to ordinary school start time (8.15 ± 15 min) for the rest of the week
University of Bergen
Bergen, Vestland, Norway
RECRUITINGAverage sleep duration on school days
Average sleep duration across the arms will be calculated using the Munich ChronoType Questionnaire (MCTQ), adjusted for nocturnal awakenings
Time frame: Baseline and at the end of the school year (at about 8 months follow-up)
Preferred school start time (late vs. early Mondays and Tuesdays)
A conditioned item asking how satisfied the students are starting early or later on Mondays and Tuesdays, or ranging from "Very satisfied" to "very dissatisfied", will be included.
Time frame: At the end of the school year (at about 8 months follow-up)
Daytime sleepiness on school days
Daytime sleepiness will be assessed based on the Karolinska Sleepiness Scale (KSS; adjusted to target sleepiness on each weekday) and The Chinese adolescent daytime sleepiness scale (CADSS).
Time frame: CADSS: Baseline and at the end of the school year (at about 8 months follow-up). KSS: At the end of the school year (at about 8 months follow-up)-up
School absence and academic performance (self-reported and objective)
Data gathered from school authorities.
Time frame: Self-reported data: Baseline and end of school year. Objective data: At the end of the school year (at about 8 months follow-up)-up
Mental health
Anxiety and depression will be assessed during the past two weeks using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, respectively.
Time frame: Baseline and at the end of the school year (at about 8 months follow-up)
Social jetlag
Social jetlag, calculated as the discrepancy in sleep timing on free vs. weekdays, will be calculated based on the MCTQ
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Time frame: Baseline and at the end of the school year (at about 8 months follow-up)
Sleep duration, school days with early vs. late start
Sleep duration for late starting days will be compared with early starting days
Time frame: At the end of the school year (at about 8 months follow-up)