Top Story: Are you feeling sleepy? Here’s how to get a better nights rest

Dr. Michael Howell in the Department of Medicine was interviewed live on MPR News with Angela Davis about why rest is important for the body and how to deal with common sleep problems. “Our brains are refreshing their energy source when we’re sleeping. They’re making sense of everything that we do during the day. When we sleep well, they remove the noise so all the little things that are not that important shed away and amplify the signals of important memories,” Dr. Howell said. He added that irregular sleep can lead to poor judgment and impulsive behavior. 

Resetting our clocks for Daylight Savings Time can alter our sleep schedules, in addition to late nights staying up to date with the election. Sleep is an essential part of your physical and mental health, but a recent study from Ball State University reports that about 35% of Americans do not get adequate sleep. 

Experts recommend at least seven hours of sleep.  

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