Sleep directly impacts cognitive functioning, emotional health, motivation, and learning. Let's explore how...
What happens if you don't sleep?
Your brain cannot make new memories. The brain actually shuts down!
Your brain creates a toxic protein which builds up and leads to Alzheimer's disease.
For boys, lack of sleep will lower your testosterone.
Your immune system suffers, so you get sick more often and more severely.
You have a much higher risk of getting cancer.
Your blood pressure rises along with your risk of heart attack and stroke.
You crave sugar and carbs, which can lead to weight gain and diabetes.
Loss of coordination.
Depression and anxiety.
Death... yes, death.
“We need about eight hours of sleep to repair the damage of wakefulness. Wakefulness essentially is low-level brain damage.” (Friedman, 2019)
The brain is an organ which requires rest. As the most crucial part of our central nervous system, it requires a stable rest and activity cycle including the "off-line" period called sleep (Meerlo et al., 2015, p. 16). Extreme sleep deprivation can actually lead to death because sleep is so vital to how our minds and bodies function.
Sleep and Memory
Sleep deprivation interferes with memory formation, so learning is reduced as facts fail to take hold in the brain (Woolfolk, 2019, p. 40). When you do not sleep enough or you sleep poorly, the toxins which develop in the brain cannot be cleared out. Spaces in the brain become enlarged, which leads to cognitive decline as toxins remain uncleared (Sunnybrook Hospital). As time goes by, this leads to memory problems and can lead to Alzheimer's. Also, sleep alters brain waves so that the brain can sort through memories and "consolidate" the important ones, cementing knowledge and new memories (Brain Facts). When you don't sleep, memories are unable to form.
Sleep and Attention
When students lack sleep, they cannot pay attention as well and become more easily distracted. Attention determines what data the mind holds onto - what it deems "important" - so attention is critical to learning (Woolfolk, 2019, p. 306). Sufficient sleep is required for students to pay attention and learn.
Sleep and Motivation
Negative emotions and anxiety damage students' motivation to learn. When sleep leads to poor performance, students' sense of self-efficacy declines. If applying Maslow's "heirarchy of needs," reaching the higher levels of cognitive and creative functioning cannot occur without the foundation of physiological needs being met, which includes sleep (Woolfolk, 2019, p. 466). However, studies have shown significant improvements in student's academic performance, eagerness, and motivation toward higher achievement when they get more sleep (Meijer & Van den Wittenboer, 2003).
Sleep and Anxiety
Lack of sleep has been shown to increase anxiety. Studies have shown a correlation between continued decreases in how much time we sleep as a society and increases in anxiety disorders (Goldstein, 2014). Anxiety impacts student learning and general functioning in multiple ways: cognitive distraction (loss of attention, worrying, negative thoughts); affective factors (sweating, heart racing, upset stomach, panic attacks, emotional breakdowns); social withdrawal; inability to perform; and embarrassment and insecurity, which then creates a vicious cycle of worry and poor performance (Woolfolk, 2019, pp. 488-489). Sleep deprivation is also related to bipolar disorder, depression, and possibly other mental illnesses (Brain Facts).
Sleep and Academic Performance
There is a proven relationship between quality sleep and academic performance (Meijer & Van den Wittenboer, 2003; Ahrberg et al., 2012). Poor performance due to lack of sleep is attributed to a combination of factors: reduced cognitive ability, stress, and loss of motivation. Test scores significantly decrease when students are more stressed and tired (Ahrberg, 2012).
As important as it is, getting quality sleep goes beyond learning in school. It improves overall brain, body, emotional, and social functioning.
Video Resources: How sleep helps the brain function
Additional Video and Transcript Tutorial:
Reference Studies - Great for in-depth research for teachers and students!
Ahrberg, K., Dresler, M., Niedermaier, S., Steiger, A., & Genzel, L. (2012). The interaction between sleep quality and academic performance. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 46(12), 1618–1622. https://doi-org.libproxy.calbaptist.edu/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2012.09.008
Friedman, N. (2019). What happens to your brain and body if you don't get enough sleep. Business Insider. Retrieved from https://www.businessinsider.com/what-happens-when-you-dont-get-enough-sleep-2017-12
Goldstein, A. N. (2014). The Impact of Sleep Deprivation on Anxiety and Affective Brain Function. Retrieved from https://search-ebscohost-com.libproxy.calbaptist.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=edssch&AN=edssch.qt0569x2sd&site=eds-live&scope=site
Meerlo, P., Benca, R. M., & Abel, T. (2015). Sleep, neuronal plasticity and brain function. Springer. Retrieved from https://search-ebscohost-com.libproxy.calbaptist.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=cat02305a&AN=cbu.417248&site=eds-live&scope=site
Meijer, A. M., & Van den Wittenboer, G. L. (2003). The joint contribution of sleep, intelligence and motivation to school performance. Personality and Individual Differences, 37(1), 95–106. https://doi-org.libproxy.calbaptist.edu/10.1016/j.paid.2003.08.002
Additional References:
Brain Facts.org. (2018). What a good night's sleep does for the brain. YouTube. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/WpkfMuXJnWI.
Sunnybrook Hospital. (2015). Poor sleep may affect brain's ability to clear waste. YouTube. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/tTSiCQUFfSk.
Woolfolk, A. (2019). Educational Psychology (14th ed.). New York, NY: Pearson.
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