PHILADELPHIA , Feb. 11 (UPI) -- The brain has to work harder to do the same amount of thinking when tired, so everyone should try for enough sleep, a U.S. expert advises.
Philip Gehrman of the University of the Sciences Penn Sleep Center in Philadelphia says when a person is tired, thinking requires a lot more resources and people get fatigued more quickly as a result.
Gehrman advises to avoid excessive napping and try to keep a consistent schedule for going to bed and waking up that allows the body to develop a natural rhythm.
Other ways to achieve "sleep hygiene" that can lead to better thinking, Gehrman advises to:
-- Stop drinking caffeine after lunch because caffeine can linger in the body for 10 to 12 hours.
-- Avoid alcohol because it may help a person fall asleep, but it results in a light stage of sleep with poor quality that can lead to not feeling rested.
-- Have a wind-down period before going to bed -- doing relaxing things that don't require a lot of mental energy.
-- And have a bedroom that is only used for sleeping to help the brain "think" sleep.
