Thirty extra minutes before school found to boost performance

A small private school in Rhode Island recently concluded a study about the effects of sleep on high school students, according to the Associated Press. Patricia Moss, the dean of the school, said that the results were "stunning."

The number of students late to their first class dropped by almost 50 percent, moods improved, there was more participation in classes, and there was a 39 percent rise in the number of students who said they slept for at least eight hours.

Daytime sleepiness also saw a significant drop, falling from 49 percent to 20 percent.

Dr Judith Ownes, the Brown University sleep researcher who led the study, said that there were biological reasons to the improvement, claiming that teens tend to be in their deepest sleep cycles around dawn and generally have a difficult time falling asleep before 11pm.

Researchers have also found that creating an optimal setting for sleep can greatly improve sleep quality, according to HealthGuide.org. One of the ways to create a good environment for slumber is to install a pair of blackout roman shades. These are perfect for a teenager's bedroom, because they are dust and soil resistant.