1. Sleep Deprivation (SD) One of the most debilitating and
prevalent cognitive impairments todaySign up for more useful
information on Nootropics and maximizing Cognitive Performance
below:The Brain Bulwark - Nootropics and Cognitive
Optimization
2. Just how debilitating is sleep deprivation?Allow me to
explain...
3. Impaired attention and working memory (shortterm) Long-term
Memory and Decision Making Partial sleep deprivation shown to
negatively impact attention and vigilance Motivation can delay
these side effects, conversely sleep deprivation can lower ones
motivation Destabilization of your wake state
4. A more elusive and less obvious point to consider is the
loss of sleep benefits.Sleep deprivation poses clear detriment to
cognitive performance, but also prevents an individual from
experiencing the benefits of adequate sleep.
5. Here is an analogy to help further elucidate this concept of
lost sleep benefits:A paper in The Official Journal of the American
Academy of Neurology made an analogy that I think really puts this
into terms. They suggested one thinks of sleep as money. You can
invest it in the bank, keep it safe, and enjoy interest over time.
Or you voluntarily give it up, no longer have the money at all, and
also lose the interest you would have accrued.
6. Let's break that down further
7. Sleep has a direct effect on your ability to perform
cognitively demanding tasks.From memory to concentration, a lack of
sleep can absolutely destroy your ability to be productive.As
obvious as it sounds, NOT sleeping, has negative effects AND
prevents you from enjoying the invaluable benefits as well.
8. So how does one avoid sleep deprivation?
9. Ways to Avoid and Reduce Poor Sleep 1.Pay attention to when
you are dosing your nootropics allow yourself to wind-down at the
end of the day2.Quiet, dark, and cool. Three common words used to
describe a healthy sleep environment. There is really no valid
reason why everyones bedroom is not their sanctuary. Make it
happen.3.Pre-bed rituals: Read a book, watch a little bit of
television, or even perform some of meditation (discussed further
in our Pillars of Productivity section at The Brain
Bulwark4.Letting your mind rest, let go of your day (dont let
problems haunt you), and do NOT stare at the clock5.CONSISTENCY-
This one is the most important to me. We are all creatures of
habit, and we can take full advantage of this to be better
sleepers. Staying consistent with steps 1-4 is essential.
10. Benefits to sleeping?
11. There are obvious benefits to proper sleep hygiene. Natural
energy, along with physical and mental endurance are some of the
most noticeable. I would like to propose a lesser known one
benefit, one that is stull under investigation. Memory Formation A
popular hypothetical model suggests that during a wake state
information is encoded in the hippocampus (memory and navigation
center). Subsequent slow wave sleep allows the hippocampus to
replay this encoded information, and this relay between the
neocortex and hippocampus is thought to facilitate the
consolidation of memories. It is a thought provoking hypothesis
(with further investigation already underway) and makes sleep
deprivation a major concern for us at TBB. Translation?
12. During sleep your brain perform some extremely important
tasks, such as memory consolidation. As explained, this is where
your brain will reinforce the pathways and information it has
encoded, allowing for easy future access. For this very reason, we
focus on sleep in our home-study course. Without it, cognitive
performance declines rapidly.
13. For more interesting information on nootropics and
maximizing cognitive performance, sign up here:The Brain Bulwark -
Cognitive Optimization Program