HealthWise at 5 From 7.3 - KCBD NewsChannel 11 Lubbock

• Sleep For Better Learning

Practice makes perfect, but not without a good night's sleep. That's the finding of a new study from Harvard Scientists. The study compared two groups of people learning to type. Both groups were trained to type the same sequence and then tested again after a twelve hour break. One group got a good night's sleep during the break, but the other group was tested during the daytime and didn't get to sleep between training and testing. The group that slept before the test showed far greater improvement than the non-sleep group. The Harvard researchers say their study adds to evidence that sleep is a vital part of learning. This research was conducted at Harvard Medical School and is published in the journal "Neuron".

• Estrogen Memory Boost

If you're watching the pros and cons of hormone replacement therapy, here's something new to consider. A University of Michigan study shows the therapy may help improve your memory and attention span. Experts focused on two groups of women, all over the age of 60. One group had been taking Estrogen since Menopause, the other had never taken it. The Estrogen group scored higher in tests of non-verbal, or spatial, memory and attention span. Researchers noted that the hormone can affect brain function in many ways because Estrogen receptors are located throughout the brain.

• E-Mailing Relief

A new Texas A & M University study shows that e-mails can be good for your health. Researchers looked at 150 college students and the effects their e-mail topics had on their well-being and they decided that the students who wrote about traumatic emotional experiences were healthier in the weeks following the study, compared with those who didn't. They added that although people often find emotional relief in talking or writing about their problems. This is among the first studies to focus on the effects of e-mail.