The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that middle and high school students shouldn't start school earlier than 8:30 am.

Research proves that today's teens don't get enough sleep, said Dr. Judith Owens, director of sleep medicine at Children's National Medical Center in Washington and leader of the team that studies this issue.

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"The research is clear that adolescents who get enough sleep have a reduced risk of being overweight or suffering depression, are less likely to be involved in automobile accidents, and have better grades, higher standardized test scores and an overall better quality of life," she explained.

The AAP's statement comes as a number of school districts debate on making changes to school hours.

Owen said sleep is a vital health issue. Recent statement made by her group supports school districts that wish to make changes.

She shares that scientific evidence points to lack of sleep as a direct contributor to a student's well-being, adding, "These kids are essentially in a permanent state of jet lag."

She said that convenience shouldn't be used as a reason to compensate for the dictates of biology. She noted that puberty brings along with it changes to the circadian rhythm, or the body clock that regulates patterns of sleep.

Because of these changes, "there is a natural delay in fall-asleep time and wake time. So that the average teenager can't fall asleep much before 11 o'clock."

Also, Owens stated the habits of teens today such as texting and video games make it harder for them to sleep. Owens believes parents should regulate the use of electronics, especially at bedtime.

Shakira Suglia of the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University and her team found that 1/5 of 10,000 teens and young adults are sleeping less than six hours a night.