Rebecca, Indiana: Do you think there is a correlation between college students and their academic performance due to how much sleep they get? Do you have any good resources for me?

Dr. Drake: The research on direct associations between college grades and sleep is somewhat limited. However, there is a great deal of evidence that improved sleep helps improve and consolidate memory.

In my recent scientific studies, there is evidence showing a strong relationship between the amount of sleep children ages 11-15 year olds obtain on a regular basis and their grades in school. Specifically, reduced sleep and the subsequent sleepiness that develops clearly indicate that as sleepiness increases grades in middle school children go down (see Sleep Habits and School Outcomes in Middle-school Children).

Enjoyment of school also goes down with reduced sleep as evidenced by the same study. Other studies have confirmed these relationships (See Sleep Disordered Breathing And Daytime Sleepiness Are Associated With Poor Academic Performance In Teenagers). As for college students, there is less evidence, but the adult literature on sleep and learning and memory suggest that the relationship probably holds true for adults and college students as well.

I hope this answers your questions, Rebecca! Here is one last scholarly resource on sleep-dependent memory consolidation and reconsolidation.

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, a sit down holiday feast is impending. Be sure you have plenty of time to work—or better yet, nap—it off. Holiday meals are a minefield of chemicals that can lead to decreased mental and physical performance—and possibly danger if you’re driving or handling heavy machinery. The following are some of the sleepiness-inducing culprits to be aware of:

Proteins: Turkey, in particular, can cause you to want to nap after your meal. That’s because (like other poultry) it is rich in L-Tryptophan, an essential amino acid that has been shown to cause sleepiness. L-Tryptophan metabolizes into melatonin and serotonin, neurotransmitters that calm you down and regulate your sleep.

Carbohydrates: Carbohydrate-rich foods like stuffing, bread, potatoes and corn can also cause you to feel sleepy because they, too, contain L-Tryptophan.

Fats: That butter on your roll, that gravy on your potatoes and that luscious whipped cream on your pie are full of fat and fat is slow to digest. When your stomach and intestines are working on breaking down all that fat, that’s where most of your blood flow goes, giving you less energy to do other things.

Alcohol: Wine, beer, cocktails – while they’re meant to cause cheer, they also depress your nervous system and can act like a sedative.

So eat, drink and be merry, but also be prepared to hit the couch horizontally soon afterward. What sort of tradition does your family have surrounding naps after holiday meals?