Sleep and cognitive function

It's 3 a.m. and all is quiet in Dr. Carlyle Smith's sleep lab - but not for long. Alerted by the changes in the patterns on the computer screen, a student research assistant apologetically arouses the volunteer subject sleeping in the lab "bedroom" and challenges him to a little math quiz. Then it's back-to-sleep time again until the electrodes monitoring his brain activity confirm that, once again, he has lapsed into forbidden dreamland.

The effect of certain sleep states on cognitive function has been Smith's primary focus for the past 30 years, earning him widespread recognition as a sleep expert. As well, his well-published studies have been the subject of numerous television productions.

While he began his research with animals, he now has no trouble recruiting student subjects to spend several nights in the lab. Students also work there as research assistants, and each year attend several conferences where they have the opportunity to present their findings.

The on-going studies and countless files documenting the brain wave activity of his subjects clearly show that depriving people of certain stages of sleep adversely affects their performance in certain mental and physical activities. Rapid Eye Movement (rem) sleep, for example, is particularly important for understanding concepts such as mathematics and physics, while activities requiring fine motor control demand adequate Stage 2 sleep. This, as he has shown through various studies and hopes to promote further in the future, is a fact that should be taken seriously by athletes and their coaches. Athletic progress and performance, he has determined - as well as other skills such as playing musical instruments - are greatly dependent on this type of sleep.

In addition to his research on sleep states, Smith is also working on a variety of other projects ranging from dreams and enhancement of memory to biological markers for intelligence.

Whether they work as assistants or act as subjects for his studies, students involved in Carlyle Smith's sleep lab get first-hand experience with the research process - plus some valuable inside tips for enhancing their own studies as well!