Notes

Testosterone levels can be affected by levels of sleep

Sleeping before and after learning new information is critical to retaining that information

New memories can’t be absorbed during sleep deprivation

Those who are sleep deprived have a 40% deficit in retaining information compared to those with enough sleep

Deep-sleep brainwaves and fibers help retain memories and information

Dementia and Alzheimer’s development is significantly affected by worsening sleep habits as a person ages

An hour of sleep lost can cause an uptick in rates of heart attacks, due to Daylight Savings time

Natural Killer Cells are diminished during sleep deprivation

The WHO has classified nighttime work as a “probable carcinogen”

Genes and DNA are distorted and shut off by insufficient sleep

The body needs to lower its core temperature by ~2 degrees Fahrenheit in order to fall into and stay asleep

Notes

Taking breaks is very important for learning new skills and information

Groups that practice spaced learning tend to perform much better than groups that practice massed learning

^ Spaced learning groups reach proficiency at surgical training at a higher rate

The synapse is the space between two neurons, where most brain activity is transmitted

When a synapse undergoes “long-term potentiation”, it grows stronger and more easily communicable

A higher number of synapses undergo potentiation via electrical stimulation after breaks

Breaks are taken so that synapses can be properly constructed and ready for potentiation

The prefrontal cortex is mainly used for early memory

Practice should be spaced out farther the more complex the task is

If a break is too short, synapse reconstruction can’t occur–if breaks are too long, memory can fade