If You Have to Cram, You Might as Well Not Study

It's common sense that staying up all night cramming isn't the best way to prepare for a big exam. Now researchers from UCLA say the sleep deprivation you experience due to a cram session takes such a severe toll on your brain and body, you'd be better off not studying at all.

Even if you study dutifully every day, say the researchers, if you sacrifice your sleep time to cram, you're still going to "have more trouble understanding material taught in class and be more likely to struggle on an assignment or test the following day." If staying up late to do homework or study becomes a habit, sleep deprivation surely has a cumulative effect on performance. The bottom line? Lack of sleep wreaks havoc, so get some shut-eye.

Photo via (cc Flickr user tamakisono