9 Science-backed strategies for improving sleep to help memory

Why is sleep so important for getting good grades?

• The REM sleep cycle helps learning

• Sleep forges pathways in the brain for memories

• TL;DR: don’t waste time studying if it doesn’t “save” to your brain

Here are 9 science-backed strategies for improving your sleep quality and boosting your memory, so the studying you do is more effective.

1. Make it dark, quiet, and cool 🧊

1. Darkness promotes the production of melatonin, a hormone that helps to regulate sleep

2. Noise and light can disrupt sleep, so aim for as dark and quiet as possible

3. Cool temperatures are preferable for sleep quality

   • Sources

     A study published in the journal Sleep found that people who slept in a room that was 65 degrees Fahrenheit (18 degrees Celsius) had better sleep quality than those who slept in a room that was 75 degrees Fahrenheit (24 degrees Celsius). The study also found that the people who slept in the cooler room had higher levels of melatonin.

     Another study, published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, found that people who slept in a room that was too hot were more likely to have symptoms of insomnia. The study also found that the people who slept in the hot room had lower levels of melatonin.

2. Limit evening caffeine ☕

1. Science of caffeine (half life)

2. Limit caffeine to earlier hours

3. Caffeine-lite options for afternoon

3. No blue light before bed 📲

1. We’re talking about you, iPhone 📱

2. Blue light wakes up your mind artificially and suppresses pineal glands secretions of melatonin… Making you NOT feel tired 😴

3. Minimize disruption with zero brightness, and screen shield

4. Time your sleep cycles 🌙

1. Have you ever woken up in the middle of the night?

2. Is it usually at the same time?

3. That is not a coincidence…

4. Every night you cycle through 4 stages: awake, core sleep, deep sleep, and REM sleep

5. After REM sleep, your body cycles into the “Awake” state, then your body begins a new cycle in core sleep unless your body is ready to wake up! (or you have to go the bathroom 🤣)

5. Limit eating before bed 🥣

1. 2 truths

2. Digestion uses energy

3. Digestion damages sleep quality

4. Eat your last meal 3 to 4+ hours before bed and your digestion will get a major head start before your laying horizontally and all of your bodily processes slow down

5. Sleep is when your body repairs cells and turns short term memory into long term memory

6. If it has a third goal (digesting what’s in your body) the 2 primary goals won’t be done as well (leading to not being able to remember details, feeling not rested, or getting sick)

7. As a medical student, you need to remember as much as you can! (And avoid burnout, fatigue, and sickness)

6. Go to bed earlier 🕑

1. Syncing with sunrise and sunset has health benefits

2. Use the time in bed to read a book, meditate, or do breathwork

3. Sleeping earlier makes it easier to avoid eating late and keep a routine

7. Make a wind-down routine 🙆🏽‍♂️

1. Get your body and mind ready

2. Develop habits that are restful

3. Ex. Drink herbal tea, stretch, read

8. Stick to a schedule 🔁

1. Your body gets used to sleeping at the same time

2. Ever feel sleepy all of a sudden? That’s your sleep schedule

3. Consistency improves sleep quality and reduces time to fall asleep

9. Ditch the alarm 👋🏽

1. Remember waking up over the summer without an alarm and how rested you’d feel?

2. Now imagine that for all your morning classes at 8am

3. Try waking up naturally with time before classes

Don’t snooze 💤

1. When you snooze, you’re often still tired because you enter core sleep until the next alarm, whereas quality sleep is from deep and REM sleep (the sleep that makes you feel rested)

2. GRAPHIC FROM SLEEP IN HEALTH APP NEEDED

Additional tips

• Get regular exercise. Exercise can help to improve sleep quality. However, avoid exercising too close to bedtime, as this can make it difficult to fall asleep.

• Relax and clear your mind before bed. Try some relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing or meditation.

• Lavender scents to help fall asleep

• White noise

• sleep cycles are usually 90 minutes. Time your wake up from bedtime by calculating how many cycles you want

• Make sure your bedroom is dark, quiet, and cool. Darkness helps to promote the production of melatonin, a hormone that helps to regulate sleep. Noise and light can disrupt sleep, so make sure your bedroom is as dark and quiet as possible. A cool temperature is also ideal for sleep.