top of page
This site was designed with the
.com
website builder. Create your website today.Start Now
pexels-marcus-aurelius-4064174.jpg

The Benefits and Effects of Sleep 

  • About how many hours of sleep do you get every night? 

  • What if the quantity of your sleep does not matter but rather the quality of it?

  • Keep scrolling to see if your sleep is benefiting or harming you and how sleep can enhance mental abilities and mental health.

Sleep
Studying

Learning In Your Sleep

​

  • Studying and then sleeping helps you remember information better compared to learning new material and staying awake 

    • Scientific Evidence ​(Mazza et al., 2016).

      • A group of participants studied foreign words and then slept to later translate those words by memory in the morning.

        • They were able to translate more words and at a faster rate compared to a group of participants who ​studied in the morning and later translated the words in the evening. 

    • S​​​​leep allows for the consolidation of memories, therefore allowing for the consolidation of newly information 

      • Sufficient sleep allows for the ​​creation of freed up capacity space for new information (Antonenko, Diekelmann, Olsen, Born, & Mölle, 2013).

  • Taking a nap throughout the day can enhance declarative memory which is long term memory that involves the recollection of facts and events​​ (Antonenko, Diekelmann, Olsen, Born, & Mölle, 2013; Perera, 2021).  

  • Sleeping more can ​allow for longer information retention and less studying time as memories and newly information is being processed during quality sleep. ​​​

Use of Technology Affects Sleep Quality 

​​​

  • The use of technology before bed can disrupt good sleep quality​

  • Scientific Evidence (Rosen, Carrier, Miller, Rokkum, & Ruiz, 2015).​

    • A study found that iPhone users who over used their cell phones had a hard time resisting their phones when it ranged which increased their blood pressure, heart rate, and increase sense of anxiety ​​​

  • Melatonin is a chemical that creates a sleeping environment for our brain

    • The light from technology delays the release of melatonin which hinders sleep quality ​(Rosen et al., 2015).

  • Suggestions for better sleep quality in terms of technology ​

    • Do not use a technological device 1 hour before bed ​

    • Dim the light on technological devices 

    • Take technological breaks throughout the day to slowly wean off the feeling of constantly checking in on it

Texting on Mobile Phone
Stressed Woman

Factors That Contribute to Poor Quality Sleep

​​

  • The use of technology before bed  

  • Stress

  • Anxiety

  • Depression 

  • Excess Noise

  • Temperature of sleep environment

  • Co-sleeping (sleeping with someone else)

  • Scientific Evidence (Orzech, Salafsky, & Hamilton, 2011)

    • College ​were asked to describe their sleep quality ​

      • 10% ​said very good​

      • 60% said fairly good

      • 25% said fairly bad 

      • 5% said very bad

    • College students ​also reported factors that contributed to their lack of sleep ​

      • The main factors ​that affected sleep among college students was stress where 68% of students could not sleep due to financial stress or workload stress​ (Peltz, Bodenlos, Kingery, & Rogge, 2020; (Lund, Reider, Whiting, & Prichard, 2010).

  • Suggestions to relieve stress​​

    • Yoga​

    • Fitness

    • Nutrition 

    • Stress Management

Poor Sleep Quality Can Lead to Detrimental Health Effects

​

  • The lack of sleep can disrupt brain development such as the amygdala and the uncinate fasciculus which contributes to anxiety disorders and depression in early adulthood and adolescence (Jamieson, Broadhouse, Lagopoulos, & Hermens, 2020) 

  • Mental disorders such as anxiety and depression may occur due to the interference that a lack of sleep has on brain development

  • The lack of sleep is associated with​ (Orzech et al., 2011)

    • Increased accident rate​

    • Morbidity 

    • Decreased cognitive functioning 

    • Decreased Psychomotor functioning 

    • Decreased Emotional functioning

  • When college students do not get enough sleep they often feel​ (Lund et al., 2010)

    • Tense​

    • Irritable 

    • Anxious

    •  Depressed 

    • Angry 

    • Confused

  • It is important for college students to have good sleep quality as it contributes to mental health and reflects upon academic performance​

​

References

Antonenko, D., Diekelmann, S., Olsen, C., Born, J., & Mölle, M. (2013). Napping to renew learning capacity: Enhanced encoding after stimulation of sleep slow oscillations. The European Journal of Neuroscience, 37(7), 1142-1151. doi:10.1111/ejn.12118

​

Jamieson, D., Broadhouse, K. M., Lagopoulos, J., & Hermens, D. F. (2020). Investigating the links between adolescent sleep deprivation, fronto-limbic connectivity and the onset of mental disorders: A review of the literature. Sleep Medicine, 66, 61-67. doi:10.1016/j.sleep.2019.08.013

​

Lund, H. G., B.A, Reider, B. D., B.A, Whiting, A. B., R.N, & Prichard, J. R., Ph.D. (2010). Sleep patterns and predictors of disturbed sleep in a large population of college students. Journal of Adolescent Health, 46(2), 124-132. doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2009.06.016

​

Markman, A. (2016). How sleep enhances studying . Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/ulterior-motives/201611/how-sleep-enhances-studying

Mazza, S., Gerbier, E., Gustin, M., Kasikci, Z., Koenig, O., Toppino, T. C., & Magnin, M. (2016). Relearn faster and retain longer. Psychological Science, 27(10), 1321-1330. doi:10.1177/0956797616659930

​

Orzech, K. M., Salafsky, D. B., & Hamilton, L. A. (2011). The state of sleep among college students at a large public university. Journal of American College Health, 59(7), 612-619. doi:10.1080/07448481.2010.520051

​

Peltz, J. S., Bodenlos, J. S., Kingery, J. N., & Rogge, R. D. (2020). The role of financial strain in college students' work hours, sleep, and mental health. Journal of American College Health, , 1-8. doi:10.1080/07448481.2019.1705306

​

Perera, A. Declarative memory . Retrieved from https://www.simplypsychology.org/declarative-memory.html

​

Rosen, L., Ph.D, Carrier, L. M., Ph.D, Miller, A., M.A, Rokkum, J., M.A, & Ruiz, A., B.A. (2015). Sleeping with technology: Cognitive, affective, and technology usage predictors of sleep problems among college students. Sleep Health, 2(1), 49-56. doi:10.1016/j.sleh.2015.11.003

bottom of page