Ability to learn, solve problems, and creativity

Sleep is critical for learning and memory

We know that you need sleep before learning to activate your brain and after learning to cement the memories into your brain. You need sleep after learning to associate and integrate all of the information learned from the day.

Sleep is necessary before learning to prepare our brain, and without sleep, the information cannot be absorbed effectively. If you catch yourself pulling an all-nighter, it might not be as advantageous before an exam as you might think. There are studies with groups containing individuals who have gotten 8 hours of sleep before an exam, and a group who were not allowed to sleep. The brain struggles to make memories under conditions of sleep deprivation in all of these studies.

Numerous studies have shown that insufficient sleep has a negative impact on one's ability to learn, recall memories, and come up with original ideas. An MIT study in 2019 examining the impacts of sleep on academic performance concluded that there was no improvement in students who only prioritized their sleep the night before a test. They should have had a healthy sleep schedule throughout the learning process. Staying up late to study will not pay off.

Sleep across our life

As we get older, the quantity of our sleep tends to decrease. Aging decreases the quantity and quality of our sleep. We start to wake up more often, and we spend more time awake throughout the night. The electrical quality of deep sleep declines in our mid- to late- 30s. Does this mean that older individuals need less sleep? The science suggests no. To put this into perspective, as we get older, our bones weaken. Does this mean that we just do not need our bones to be strong anymore? Of course not. We do not give sleep the same sort of attention and care. Our brains deteriorate and cannot generate the correct amount of sleep signals we need.

This is a massive wake-up call for most adults that they NEED to hear. Just because they are naturally sleeping less does not mean that is optimal. The brain isn’t releasing as much melatonin, and we don’t get that same signal to go to sleep.

Dementia and Alzheimers

Currently, there is no cure for alzheimer’s disease. We have learned that sleep and alzheimer’s disease are heavily correlated to a decline in sleep. Individuals who sleep less than 6 hours a night have a significantly higher risk of developing the toxic proteins associated with alzheimer’s disease. Insomnia and sleep apnea are associated with a higher risk of developing alzheimer’s disease later in life. If you deprive a human of sleep for one night, the next day, there is an immediate increase in the toxic chemical beta-amyloid circulating in their blood stream. Brain scans show an immediate build up in the chemical in the brain after just one night. What is it about sleep that prevents these chemicals?

The brain has a way of cleansing itself that is best when we are asleep. In deep NREM sleep, the system begins to work more. Beta-amyloid is cleared during the glymphatic system. This was only very recently discovered. If we are not getting the sleep we need every night, we are not clearing up the waste product built up during the day. The relationship is clear. Getting deep sleep declines as we get older, and our risk for alzheimer’s increases.