STARTING TIMES OF SCHOOL - EFFECTS ON DAYTIME FUNCTIONING OF 5TH-GRADE CHILDREN IN ISRAEL

in the present study we investigated the effects of school starting ti me on daytime behavior and sleep, Eight-hundred and eleven 5th grade p upils (10-12 years old) from 28 classes in 18 schools throughout Israe l were divided into ''early risers'' (N=232) who started school at 07: 10 (42%) at least 2 times a week, and ''regular risers'' (N=340) who a lways started school at 08:00 (58%). The remaining 239 pupils started school between 7:20 (and 07:55 land also after 08:00), and were not in cluded in the study. Self-administered questionnaires concerning sleep habits during school days, weekends, and holidays, daytime fatigue, s leepiness, and difficulties concentrating and paying attention in scho ol were completed by all children. Mean sleep time of the ''early rise rs'' was significantly shorter than that of the ''regular risers.'' Ea rly risers complained significantly more about daytime fatigue and sle epiness, and about attention and concentration difficulties in school. Their complaints were independent of the reported hours of sleep. We conclude that early starting of school negatively affects total sleep time and, as a consequence, has a negative effect on daytime behavior. The implications of these findings to the ongoing controversy concern ing sleep need in contemporary society are discussed.