The Health Benefits of Sleep

Sleep boosts memory, improves physical shape and improves your ability to perform at physical tasks. Dr Matthew Walker conducted a brilliant study to test this. In the study, right-handed individuals learned to type a number sequence with their left hand. They would practice the skill on a keyboard for 12 minutes and take breaks throughout. Participants improved in performance as they practiced, but then they were tested 12 hours later with no practice in between. Those who slept for a full 8 hours during the night displayed a 20% improvement in speed and a 35% improvement in accuracy.