Why more sleep doesn’t always mean more smarts

Most of your life, you’ve prioritized sleep before a big day. The first day of school? Better go to bed early. An important interview? Squeeze in some extra shut eye so you do your best.

But more sleep isn’t always better…

In fact, there are times when more sleep could sabotage your brain power and put you at a serious cognitive disadvantage.

How do you know if you’re sleeping away your smarts?

Well, a new study shows if you’re sleeping more than seven to eight hours per night, you could be holding your brain back on those big, life-changing days… and those normal days too.

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Sleep: Too much or too little is bad for your brain

A new study from neuroscientists at the Brain and Mind Institute found that too much or too little sleep is bad for your brain power.

Let’s start with the obvious finding first…

Sleeping too little (less than seven hours per night) makes it impossible for you to perform at your best. In this study, sleeping less than seven hours per night sent reasoning and verbal abilities down the tubes. This finding held true for everyone… no matter what their age or sleep preference.

So, those people who think they’re at their best when they sleep five hours per night? They’re fooling themselves. Even worse, they could have the cognitive capabilities of a child due to lack of sleep. Researchers found that people who slept four hours or less per night had the mental functioning of a nine-year-old. Yikes!

Now, for the less obvious finding…

Squeezing in extra sleep (over eight hours) won’t help you if you want optimum brain power. Sleeping too much made verbal and reasoning abilities take a dive too.

So, next time you’re tempted to squeeze in nine or ten hours of sleep so you’re super rested for a big day… don’t. It may slow you down rather than keep you sharp.

And, if I’m being honest, I’ve had times where oversleeping left me groggy and spacey rather than energetic and sharp. Haven’t you?

Master your sleep schedule for big brain power

This was the world’s largest sleep study. It included data from 40,000 people around the world. And the sad fact is, most people aren’t getting the right amount of sleep. Roughly half are getting less than six hours of sleep per night.

That means the world is being run by a bunch of sleep-deprived people. Some may even be operating at the level of a nine-year-old. It’s a scary thought.

But you can make sure you’re not one of the sleep-deprived (or over-rested) masses by sleeping seven to eight hours per night.

Look at it this way…

The simple act of getting the right amount of sleep will put you at an advantage over most people out there. You’ll be sharp and quick-witted in a way that only people who get the right amount of rest can be.

So, here’s to a perfect night’s sleep! If you need help making that happen, check out these handy tips for mastering your sleep schedule:

• Consistency is key. Go to bed at the same time every night and wake up at the same time every morning… even on the weekends (I know… ugh).
• Set your body clock up for success. Sleep is tied to your circadian rhythm, which tied to light patterns. Try to get sunlight in the early part of the day. And avoid excess light from digital screens in the evening.
• Cut out caffeine, alcohol and heavy meals after dark. These all interfere with sleep. So, if you must have them, do it early.
• Exercise. But do it in the early part of your day. Exercising can wear you out physically, which will make you hit the hay hard. Doing it too close to bedtime, however, can backfire since you might get a brief surge of energy right after exercising.
• Make your bedroom a sleep haven. Keep it dark. Keep it a comfortable temp. And make it a work, computer, and TV-free zone. Your bedroom should be for sleep only… and maybe one other thing.