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Imagine if there was a way that you could fall asleep one day then wake up the next day as a smarter version of yourself.

It is unlikely that you can learn anything new as you sleep [1], but getting a good night’s rest will definitely help you mind function better the following day. It also helps your mind process and store the information you learned the day before.

The opposite is also true – not getting enough sleep can have a detrimental effect on how you think, remember, and process information.

Effects of lack of sleep

Sleep deprivation has been shown to hinder learning, impair cognitive performance, and slow reaction time. Not getting enough sleep also has a detrimental effect on memory [2].

Both sleep quality and sleep quantity have an impact on your mental and physical performance.

In a study done on students [3], it was found that sleep loss is associated with poor declarative and procedural learning. When sleep was actively restricted it showed a worsening in neurocognitive and academic performance. The opposite was also shown – when sleep was optimized, it showed improvements in neurocognitive and academic performance.

Lack of sleep can also contribute to neurodegenerative diseases later in life – something we all want to avoid.

How sleep can benefit you

If you have a sleep deficit before learning something new, the learning process will be impaired. However, getting a good night’s sleep after learning improves your brain’s ability to recall the information later [4].

Sleep has also been shown to affect the learning of new skills – especially in sports [5]. It’s not just practice that makes perfect – but practice combined with proper sleep!

It turns out that you can also get the benefits of sleep from just a nap. It has been shown that a nap is as good as a night of sleep for learning on perceptual tasks [6].

If you are learning a new language – sleep can help with that as well [7].

How to get a better sleep

When it comes to getting a better sleep, there are many things you can do to help with the process.

Stick to a schedule. Sleep is a systematic process that our bodies regulate automatically. To help support this process, it is important to wake up and go to bed at the same time every day – even on weekends. Not following a system can throw your sleep rhythms off. This can result in insomnia, poor sleep quality, and negatively impact to your brain, mood, and performance.

Create a bedtime ritual. Before going to bed, try and wind down from the day with a warm bath, meditation (see below), or reading a book. Avoid intense or stimulating activities that can get your mind or body in an active state.

Have a good sleep environment. Having a good mattress, comfy pillows, and nice sheets and blankets all contribute to a good night of rest. Also, a cool room can help you sleep better.

Avoid screens. Screens can stimulate your mind and the blue light they give off can confuse your body’s sleep cycle. Stop using your computer, cell phone, and TV at least an hour before going to bed.

Watch what and when you eat. Caffeine can stay in your system for hours. It is recommended that you avoid caffeinated soda, tea, coffee, and chocolate after 3 p.m. Also, heavy meals right before sleep can interfere with your ability to fall asleep.

Make your room as dark as possible. A dark room stimulates your body to release the natural sleep hormone melatonin. Melatonin helps you fall asleep and promotes a good sleep throughout the night.

Avoid alcohol. While it can help you fall asleep, it may interfere with your sleep cycle. It can also decrease the quality of the sleep you get.

Don’t rely on prescription sleeping pills. Sleeping pills can be addictive and interfere with your ability to fall asleep naturally after you stop taking them.

Take care of sleep apnea. If you always wake up drowsy, you may have sleep apnea. This is easily treatable. If you think you might have sleep apnea, talk to a sleep specialist.

Melatonin

Melatonin is your bodies natural way to regulate your sleep-wake cycles. Your body produces more of it when you are in darkness and less when you are exposed light.

Melatonin as a supplement has been shown to be effective and safe. It has no withdrawal symptoms or rebound insomnia (unlike prescription sleeping pills) [8]. While you would typically use if for a week or two to reset your sleep schedule, it has been used safely for up to 2 years.

If your sleep schedule is off, melatonin can help you reset it by helping you fall asleep at a conventional bedtime. It can also help with insomnia and jet lag.

If you are interested in trying melatonin to get a better night’s sleep, this melatonin supplement is safe, convenient, and effective.

Key Takeaways

Having enough sleep is important for optimal brain function.

Not getting enough sleep can negatively impact your mental, physical, and emotional wellbeing.

Maintain a proper sleep schedule and have a good sleep environment to help you sleep better.

Get started today:

If you are looking for a way to get a better sleep, I recommend you take a look at this melatonin supplement.

Works Cited

[1] C. W. Simon and W. H. Emmons, “Responses to material presented during various levels of sleep.,” PsycNet, February 1956. [Online]. Available: https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1957-02485-001.

[2] S. Gais, B. Lucas and J. Born, “Sleep after learning aids memory recall,” CSH Press, 2006. [Online]. Available: http://learnmem.cshlp.org/content/13/3/259.short.

[3] G. Curcio, M. Ferrara and L. D. Gennaro, “Sleep loss, learning capacity and academic performance,” ScienceDirect, October 2006. [Online]. Available: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1087079205001231.

[4] M. P. Walker, “Cognitive consequences of sleep and sleep loss,” ScienceDirect, September 2008. [Online]. Available: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1389945708700145.

[5] W. MP and S. R, “It’s practice, with sleep, that makes perfect: implications of sleep-dependent learning and plasticity for skill performance.,” Europe PMC, 1 April 2005. [Online]. Available: https://europepmc.org/article/med/15892925.

[6] S. Mednick, K. Nakayama and R. Stickgold, “Sleep-dependent learning: a nap is as good as a night,” Nature, 22 June 2003. [Online]. Available: https://www.nature.com/articles/nn1078.

[7] L. J.Batterink, D. Oudiette, P. J. Reber and K. A. Paller, “Sleep facilitates learning a new linguistic rule,” Science Direct, December 2014. [Online]. Available: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0028393214003844.

[8] A. G. Wade, G. Crawford, I. Ford, A. McConnachie, T. Nir, M. Laudon and N. Zisapel, “Prolonged release melatonin in the treatment of primary insomnia: evaluation of the age cut-off for short- and long-term response,” PubMed, January 2011. [Online]. Available: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21091391/.