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It’s hard to argue with the importance of getting enough sleep.  There are so many reasons we should get the amount of sleep mind and body require.  How much sleep differs person to person.  But you know when you haven’t had enough.  In addition to sleep contributing to good health, overall, sleep is important for learning new information.  So says a study published in the journal Neurobiology of Learning and Memory. 

Researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital tested subjects’ ability to recall information under two sets of conditions – limited sleep and a full eight hours.  Results indicate we remember more when we’re well rested.  The findings, they say, apply to learning all kinds of information.  

So when you need to learn something new and retain it, get sufficient sleep the night before, and even a nap at some point during the learning process.  If you’re struggling to find a solution to a problem, sleep well tonight and go at it again tomorrow.  

In addition, the researchers say getting a good night’s sleep before you attend an event where you’ll meet people you want to impress can help you more easily remember faces and names.  Think about it:  those who remember us – our face and name – positively impress us.  So a good night’s sleep might increase your level of influence. 

And by the way, sleep disturbances, which tend to occur as we age, can decrease our ability to recollect what we learn.  If you’re struggling with memory issues, researchers suggest your memory will improve measurably if you find ways to get more sleep.