Worldwide Success

Researchers in Germany have done a study which has significant implications to student’s performance in school and to adult’s success at work.  The study shows that individuals taking a simple math test were three times more likely than their sleep-deprived counterparts to figure out a hidden rule for converting certain numbers into the right answer if they had eight hours of sleep.

The study also shows that there is a strong correlation between adequate sleep and a person’s ability to be creative and to solve problems.  Other biochemical studies of the brain have suggested that memories are restructured before they are stored.  Creativity seems to also be enhanced in this process.  This restructuring may be occurring to make problems easier to solve.

According to researcher Jan Born of the University of Lubeck, during sleep the brain actively processes information learned during the day.  Here is what Borg has to say about the benefits of sleep for long-term memory:

“Brain cells seem to replay the memory during slow-wave sleep, often called deep sleep in stages of non-rapid eye movement.  The replay makes the memory stronger.  People who don’t get enough sleep have more trouble pulling up the memory when they need the information.  I am absolutely convinced that sleep is necessary for long-term memory.”

Many college students have stayed up all night trying to study for an important exam.  It turns out that this is one of the worst things that they can do.  If you have an important activity the next day, be it an exam, a performance, a job interview, a sports event, or anything else that requires you to perform, the most important thing that you need to do in order to be well prepared is to get a good night of sleep the night before.

According to Phyllis Zee, a sleep researcher at the Northwestern University School of Medicine in Chicago, most Americans get less than the minimum seven hours of sleep per night.  “People who don’t get enough sleep, which could include millions of Americans, may be setting themselves up for attention lapses”, she says.

Findings presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s annual meeting in Boston show that sleep may help boost the brain’s ability to remember recently learned information.  Anyone who works in demanding jobs that require a strong reliance on memory and alertness should pay close attention to this research.  In some professions, such as airline pilots, the amount of rest between work shifts is regulated.  If you don’t get enough sleep you are more likely to make mistakes because you will have difficulty concentrating and recalling critical information when required.

Steve Pavlina, a well know personal development blogger has done an experiment with polyphasic sleep which is a pattern of sleeping for about 20 minutes every four hours around the clock.  Under this pattern a person only sleeps about 2 hours a day, which is much less than the 7-8 hours of sleep recommended by the experts.  Here is what Steve had to say about the experiment:

“Adapting to polyphasic sleep took many days, and I felt like a zombie the first week.  At one point I just sat on the couch staring at a wall for 90 minutes, unable to form any thoughts.  But eventually I was able to adapt, and it was one of the most unusual experiences of my life… By adapting to polyphasic sleep, you may gain some waking hours each day, but you sacrifice a lot of schedule flexibility…  Eventually I abandoned the pattern and returned to monophasic sleep, mainly due to social reasons”

It is not clear from what Steve has reported whether there is any benefit from polyphasic sleep.  As he said, you may gain some hours each day, but you lose your schedule flexibility.  To me it is a dangerous experiment that could have an adverse effect on you health, so I would not recommend it.

There is plenty of evidence that getting enough sleep is essential for success in any activity, from academics to sports, and beyond.  If you are serious about being successful, don’t sacrifice your sleep just to gain a few extra hours each day.  Don’t think of sleep as a waste of time.  Think of it as an essential ingredient for your body’s health and for your success.

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