Have you noticed how things seem gloomy and scary at night? Problems seem insurmountable and situations seem hopeless. However, a good night’s sleep and the dawn of a new day make everything look better. Sleep doesn’t just feel great, it is great for us – our health, wellbeing, mood, creativity, problem-solving abilities and more. Studies also tell us how it is always a good idea to "sleep on it".
Some creatures sleep a lot longer than others, but sleep we must. Adequate and restful sleep is necessary for problem solving, decision making and for optimal reaction times. Research shows that sleep deprivation is as dangerous as high blood alcohol levels in situations that need alertness like driving, operating heavy machinery etc.
We are better able to deal with and respond appropriately to the normal stresses of life. With inadequate sleep, we are more likely to overreact, be angry, or to take out our frustrations on family, people and work and so on. This can have a direct negative impact on mental health. We have seen how studying and working from home has disturbed people’s routines and sleep habits; leading to what we now know to be an epidemic of metal health issues.
We are unable to process information, make good decisions and solve problems without proper rest. We tend to take riskier decisions or may use procrastinating tactics to simply avoid dealing with issues, even if they are time sensitive. In a sense we just dong have the mental energy to deal with thigs that need to be dealt with.
A school teacher had taught us a neat trick for studying effectively. If you study for some hours, have a short nap afterwards. This helps the brain retain the material and recall it a lot better. There is less interference and the brain is able to consolidate the learned material a lot better. This is borne out by research. Sleep is vital for creating and strengthening memories and also learning.
If you have a big decision to make, are worried about something, or have a particular hope or desire, sleep on it. Even an idea that you have and think is a good one, sleep on it. You will see it with greater clarity the next day: better able to see the possible flaws and may be able to think of refinements that enhance it. Your apprehensions will seem less worrisome the next day and something that has been puzzling or troubling you may well become resolved after a good night’s rest.
If you’ve been in a tizzy trying to make the right decision between two seemingly workable choices, don’t make up your mind just yet. Your mind will be clearer the next morning. The mind has had time to subconsciously sift through the pros and cons while you were sleeping, and the choice will simply be easier to make the next morning. Even negative feelings like jealousy or envy will seem less intense when you sleep on them. You wake up with greater energy and confidence and self-belief that helps negate the negative emotions. So, when in doubt, just sleep on it.
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