The “S” Word that Makes You Smarter: Sleep

Does sleep deprivation have long-lasting effects? Recent research indicates a lack of sleep can change how our DNA expresses itself, and not necessarily for the better. More specifically, a lack of sleep affects the genes that control our circadian rhythm. These clock genes are located in metabolic tissue and may contribute to metabolic disorders. Sleep deprivation may cause changes in the genome of adipose tissue and these changes may contribute to obesity, type 2 diabetes and various metabolic disorders.

Sleep is also tied to our memories. Some people do crossword puzzles or brain-training games to improve memory. Unfortunately, these activities have only shown improvements with immediate recall. Long-term memory retention requires adequate rest from a good night’s sleep or from a quick nap. Rodent studies have shown that “sleep increases the density of new synapses that form after learning a task.” If you want to excel on your next exam or presentation get plenty of sleep between study and practice sessions to ensure new brain pathways and associations are created.1

Not only does sleep assist in memory formation, it also refines new memories. While we are sleeping, the brain filters out useless information and creates pathways and associations for the new memories. Sleep is an essential part of the memory “pruning” process. This consolidation of memories and information provides better access to the data we need to retrieve.

Bottom Line: To become smarter, enhance memory development and retrieval, make sure you are getting adequate sleep.

Written by: Ariel Beaird, Wellness Workdays Dietetic Intern

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