Early to Bed, Early to Rise: Does it Make You Healthy, Wealthy, and Wise?

The March 2018 issue of Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry includes a compelling research study that just might convince you it’s true. Researchers evaluated 52 participants regarding sleep onset, sleep duration, and subsequent psychological and emotional state. Apparently, grandpa was right: going to bed later and getting less than adequate sleep was correlated with negative psychological and emotional outcomes.

Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, March 2018, 58, 114-122

 

 

 

But, Mom! I Need More Sleep!

In an article published in the April 2018 Sleep journal, researchers reported the negative impact of misaligned circadian rhythms during adolescence. Teenagers often adopt later sleep onset, and with early school hours, lack adequate sleep duration for healthy cognition. The research study reported negative outcomes in brain function associated with impulsivity, response inhibition, motivation, and other psychological factors contributing to substance abuse disorders.

Sleep, Volume 41, Issue suppl_1, 27 April 2018

 

 

Big Money for Sleep Research

A grant for 2.8 million dollars has been funded by the U.S. Department of Defense for Washington State University’s Sleep and Performance Research Center to launch a 3-year study to explore the negative impact sleep deprivation has on cognition and our ability to make wise decisions. Now might be a good time to click off the screen and get some zzzzs…yawn!

Neuroscience News, May 18, 2018

 

 

 

Counting Sheep to Fall Asleep? Try Fish Instead!

A recently published Scientific Reports study of 541 school-aged children in China revealed a correlation between the consumption of fish and improved sleep. The authors assert that while the scientific connection of omega-3 fatty acids cognitive performance has been established, mediating factors such as sleep quality and duration still need exploration. According to their research, sleep could well be the important factor connecting the consistent consumption of fish (omega-3 fatty acids) to higher IQ and improved cognition. Researchers surveyed the children for fish consumption and sleep quality from age nine to eleven, then assessed IQ at age 12. These statistics confirmed a relationship between more frequent fish consumption, better sleep quality, and higher cognitive functioning. Perhaps those sleepless nights would be improved by adding a tilapia fillet and salmon steak to your weekly menu! Might make you smarter too!

Scientific Reports. Article number: 17961 (2017)