Sleep. We all know how important it is. We all know how much better we feel after getting quality rest. Perhaps it’s been awhile since you’ve experienced peaceful, restful sleep. At Cuddle Ewe, we make your night’s sleep our business. And more importantly, we want to help educate you on not just our product, but on the science of sleep as a whole.
There are a multitude of facets to the study of sleeping. There are both physical and mental repercussions to sleep deprivation. Researchers are digging deep to discover exactly how sleep deprivation can hinder our brain function. In depth studies are beginning to show that not only does sleep deprivation affect our ability to learn new information, but that it may also hinder our ability to create and sustain a bank of memories from which to draw upon. It is during sleep that our brains make critical connections between what we know and what we have recently learned. As Harvard Medical School Dr. Strickgold points out (Miller, September 24, 2012), “You learn things in pieces and then sleep smoothes them out.”
Click here to see a short video of Dr. Stickgold describing the importance of sleep in the development and sustaining of memories.
Researchers are not entirely sure of what exactly happens to the brain during sleep; only that sleep clearly plays in integral role in how we process, retain and connect information. There is speculation that the hormone cortisol (which rises incrementally during restful sleep) helps the brain link new experiences with old memories. With optimal sleep, our brains can function at a higher level; in turn helping us to be the best versions of ourselves.
