May 2003 Issue
Why a good night's sleep is required to learn principles and solve problems
By Gary K. Probst, Email:probstgk@pg.cc.md.us
Judy Foreman, a writer and lecturer on sleep and memory, explains how
important a good nights sleep is to learning and memory. There are two basic
categories of memory. Declarative memory involves learning facts or a sequence
of facts. Procedural memory involves learning the principles required to solve
problems. A lack of sleep does not become a barrier to learning or recalling
factual information that use a person's declarative memory. A lack of sleep
becomes a barrier to learning or recalling principles or problem solving. A
complete explanation can be found at her website under sleep problems.
http://www.myhealthsense.com/
Students need to become aware of requirement of a good night's sleep as a
prerequisite for learning. Students who are having trouble learning principles
or solving problems should be asked to keep a sleep diary. If a student has
trouble sleeping or snores while sleeping, he or she needs to be checked by a
medical doctor for sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a serious problem that can be
treated.
For more information on sleep disorders the website of the National Sleep
Foundation is an excellent source.
http://www.sleepfoundation.org. At this website an online test is given to
determine if a student has a sleep problem. An excellent sleep diary form can be
printed to keep a record of ones sleep during a week. The sleep diary keeps a
daily record of twelve items of information that are related to sleep. An
excellent caffeine calculator is also given to determine if too much caffeine is
the cause of a poor night's sleep.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Questions or comments? Discuss this article with the author or with other readers by clicking here.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*