Sleep is critical, but many people just can't get enough. As that mid-afternoon slump hits, you may find it hard to focus. Where did you leave your glasses? Did you answer that email? When you're not getting enough sleep, short and long-term memory formation suffers. Fortunately, we have some good news for you!
Forgetful? Take a nap!
The good news is that you can improve your memory by napping. Even those who get enough sleep overnight can benefit from an afternoon nap.
What's the connection?
Several studies have shown a correlation between learning and napping. Researchers in Germany have found that an hour-long nap improved performance on a word recall task by a factor of five. In this study, volunteers recalled as much after their nap as they did before their nap, while those who watched a DVD recalled significantly fewer words and word pairs. Another study showed a similar effect in infants who napped for at least 30 minutes after a learning activity. A study at UC Berkeley also replicated this effect, showing that while the participants performed similarly pre-nap, those who napped performed better on a subsequent learning task.
These results are hardly surprising! It's a well-known fact that sleep improves mental function and concentration. Both workers and students have been shown to perform better at their tasks when they sleep more. Clearly, your brain needs sleep to function!
Why does sleep improve memory?
A hypothesis put forth by the team at UC Berkeley holds that a nap clears out the short-term memory, making room for new information. This information is initially stored in the hippocampus (where memory is stored in the short-term), and transferred to the prefrontal cortex (where long-term memories are held) during sleep, specifically during non-REM sleep. EEG data collected during the German study link this transfer to a short burst of activity in the brain. Researches speculate that these bursts transform the short-term memories into long-term storage, allowing the study volunteers to better recall the information later.
So next time you find yourself struggling to remember the name of the client you just spoke with or what was on your to-do list, find a quiet place to take a quick nap. Your brain will thank you!
How does having a nap affect your day? Wish that nap time wasn't just meant for kindergarteners? Leave us a comment letting us know what you think about naps!
Photo Credit: Helga Weber
