I am a board-certified family and lifestyle medicine physician practicing here in Chattanooga. I am keenly aware of the compounding severe physical and mental health effects that chronic sleep deprivation inflicts upon my patients, especially the adolescents
I am also a local parent; my child attends school within the Signal Mountain system in Hamilton County Schools’ District 2, where the current 7:45 a.m. high school start time imposes an incredibly disruptive circadian burden on high school and middle school students. If my child were to take the district-provided school bus, the pickup time at our stop is a staggering 6:03 a.m
As a medical professional, I must emphasize that forcing teenagers and pre-teens into these early schedules directly opposes their biology. Evidence-backed recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the CDC establish a minimum 8:30 a.m. start time for adolescents due to their later circadian shift. Data suggests that early awakening and sleep deprivation in this population negatively impact metabolic, hormonal and mental health, not to mention academic achievement and drowsy driving crashes.
I applaud the district’s recent efforts to reduce screen use in middle schools and limit phone use throughout high schools in response to alarming mental health trends. Let’s keep that incredible momentum going!
Addressing screen use is a vital step, but it must be paired with biological reality. Tennessee ranks among the worst in the country for metrics tied closely to poor sleep health, landing in the top 10 nationwide for both childhood obesity and insufficient sleep. Regionally and locally, our healthcare systems are treating epidemic levels of adolescent metabolic concerns, insulin resistance and a staggering rise in severe youth anxiety. Sleep is not a luxury; it is a foundational clinical pillar required to regulate mood, control metabolic hormones and prevent long-term chronic disease.
Rumor has it that several years ago, preliminary discussions and feasibility studies took place regarding flipping middle and high school schedules with elementary school start times. Admittedly, this shift would be complicated, but from a medical standpoint, it would be a much better match for age-based circadian requirements. Peer-reviewed literature, including from the journal Sleep and the Brookings Institution, confirms that elementary-aged children operate on significantly earlier natural circadian schedules. Unlike post-pubescent adolescents who experience a biological sleep-wake phase delay, younger children naturally fall asleep earlier and wake up earlier, making earlier elementary school starts a biologically appropriate choice that preserves district transportation infrastructure.
I would love to be updated with the current administrative status of those past studies, as I strongly support reviving that momentum. If supporting the safety, long-term health and academic success of our children is our ultimate goal, what concrete operational or policy hurdles must be overcome to finally execute this shift? I would be happy to be a part of the movement to continue these efforts and achieve the needed change to make a healthier bell schedule a reality for Hamilton County students.
Thank you for your leadership, your time, and your commitment to our future generations
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Dr. Suzannah Bozzone is a local board-certified family medicine and lifestyle physician, leader and speaker
