There are some connections between our sleep and our daytime functioning. In general, we don’t function as well during the daytime when we haven’t had a good night’s rest.
Specifically, poor sleep can decrease your ability to concentrate, affect your mood (usually for the worse), and impair your motor skills. One reason we sleep may be that our brains, as well as our bodies, need time to rest and repair themselves.
We need sleep to think clearly, react quickly, and create memories. In fact, the pathways in the brain that help us learn and remember are very active when we sleep. Sleep helps to organize memories, solidify learning, and improve concentration. Studies show that people who are taught mentally challenging tasks do better after a good night’s sleep. Other research suggests that sleep is needed for creative problem solving.
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