Mind, brain, education, and biological timing

Abstract

Circadian rhythms, in particular the sleep-wake cycle, modulate most, if not all, aspects of physiology and behavior. Their impact on education has recently begun to be understood, including a clear positive relationship between sleep and learning. In fact, sleep deprivation, common to adolescents throughout the world, has a deep effect on academic performance, and this fact is often increased by inadequate school schedules. This special issue of Mind, Brain, and Education deals with the relation between biological rhythms and learning, as discussed in an International Mind, Brain, and Education Society meeting that took place in Erice, Italy in May 2007. The articles (with contributors from Brazil, Croatia, Sweden, Spain, United Kingdom, United States, and Argentina) cover several aspects of this fundamental link between timing and education and suggest strategies to optimize school and sleep schedules for a better quality of life and improved academic performance of students. © Journal Compilation © 2008 International Mind, Brain, and Education Society and Blackwell Publishing, Inc.