Have you ever stay up all night studying for an exam and feel brainwashed even though you studied really hard?
With research into sleep growing, there is a unique study of the relationship between sleep, learning, and memory. One of the most interesting hypotheses is that sleep contributes to processes of memory and brain plasticity.
It is important to note that the brain does not stay in one single physiological state across 24-hour, but instead cycles through periods and be divided into wake and sleep. A complete sleep cycle takes an average of 90 to 110 minutes, with each stage lasting between 5 to 15 minutes. The deepest sleeping stages (combined stages 3 and 4) are collectively referred to as “slow wave sleep”. In the same way, memory cannot be considered homogeneous. The spectrum of memory categories existed in the human brain, such as the processes that create or sustain memory, are equally diverse.
A girl tries not to fall asleep while studying for her exam. Source: Flickr https://www.flickr.com/photos/83633410@N07/7658254172
A study of napping at the University of Lübeck in Germany researched on the extensive evidence that in wakefulness, new situations and stimuli can prevent new memories from consolidating. To test the idea, they asked 24 volunteers to memorize 15 pairs of cards with pictures of animals and everyday objects. After the first memorization session, half of the group stayed awake and the other half took a nap. Forty minutes later, the volunteers were asked to learn a second, slightly different set of card pairs. This second task was to act as an interfering disruptor of the initial learning.
When both groups were tested for recall of the first set of cards, the sleep group remembered much better (85% correct versus 60% for the awake group). The memorization processes persisted during sleep made the original memories more resistant to disruption.
The consolidation of memories happens during the slow wave sleep and the consolidation of memories can protect the fact-based memories from any subsequent interference.
Here is a TED-talk video explained the relationship between sleep and memory.
Video Resource: YouTube Channel: TEDxRiverCity Robert Stickgold – Sleep, Memory and Dreams: Fitting the Pieces Together
Sleep can be defined as a consolidation of memory. It is important to take a short nap as soon as possible after trying to memorize something. After a study session for a school exam, take a nap right away has a better chance to consolidate than if you stayed awake and got exposed to many new interfering situations. Study hard and get enough sleep to enhance your memories!
By Rain Xia
