MAY 01, 2008Provided by RealAge.com

Burning the Midnight Oil? Big Mistake

93% of users found this article helpful.
Still skimping on sleep? You'll never learn. Literally.

It appears that too little sleep can take a big toll on the part of your brain that's wired to help you learn from mistakes.

Mind Meltdown
Brain scans of sleep-deprived people performing gambling tasks showed something quite revealing: The orbitofrontal cortex, an area that aids in learning from a loss or a bad decision, was less active. Researchers suspect that poor sleep, besides prompting risky behaviors, hinders the brain's ability to process emotions, such as regret. The result? You're less likely to think about the consequences of a decision. Find out how sleep deprived you are right now by taking this assessment.

Sleep, Sleep Relief
If being a bad learner isn't enough, here are some other key reasons to set aside 6 to 8 hours of shuteye tonight: Check out these four surefire ways to sleep better.

RealAge Benefit: Getting 6 to 8 hours of sleep per night can make your RealAge as much as 3 years younger.



Take the RealAge Test

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