Nap Short sleep is good for memory

Nap: Short sleep improves memory manyfold

03/23/2015

In a new study, German researchers have shown that even a short sleep can significantly increase memory. For those who need to study at work, at university or at school, a nap or a nap can be extremely positive. In addition, it also does something good for his health.

Short sleep improves memory performance
Even a short sleep of about an hour can significantly increase the memory. Researchers at the Saar University have now proven that „idw online“ reported. The researchers examined 41 subjects in the study, who initially had to learn words and word pairs. Afterwards, the learning content was checked. About half of the participants slept after this first exam, the others watched a DVD. It turned out that half of the participants who had taken a nap still had significantly more word pairs in their memory after sleep than the control group of the DVD showers. The study was published in the journal „Neurobiology of Learning and Memory“ released.

Effects of „Power nap“
„Even a short sleep of 45 to 60 minutes improves memory by a factor of five“, explained Dr. Axel Mecklinger. He is the supervisor of the neuropsychologist Sara Studte, who studied with him and her colleague Emma Bridger, like a nap, new German „Power nap“, affects the memory performance. More specifically, the memory performance does not improve, but it does not deteriorate in comparison. „The control group, who watched DVDs while the other group slept, then could remember much less well the previously learned word pairs than the sleep group. This in turn showed just as good memory after the power nap as before sleep, so right after the terms were learned“, said Mecklinger.

Hippocampus in sight
Specifically, the scientists targeted the hippocampus, the brain region where learning content becomes memory in the long-term memory. „We examined the so-called sleep spindles, which play an important role in the consolidation of memories during sleep“, explained Sara Studte. One understands by it short, but fast oscillations (oscillations) in the electroencephalogram (EEG). „We suspect that it is precisely in these phases that certain memory contents, in particular those which were previously tagged, are preferably consolidated“, so Dr. Mecklinger. This means that newly learned things are tagged in memory, which makes them easier to find later. So you remember something. And the better, the more sleep spindles have previously occurred in the EEG.

„Nap in the office or nap at school“
One of the conclusions that researchers can draw from their work is clear: „Even a short nap in the office or a nap at school improve the learning success significantly. Therefore, wherever one learns, one should seriously consider the positive effects of sleep“, so Axel Mecklinger. You do not have to fall back on superstitious methods of putting books under your pillow: concentrated learning and a short, restful sleep are already enough.

Naps also good for your health
In addition, you do with a nap and his health something good. A recent study by French researchers led by sleep researcher Brice Faraut of the Paris Descartes University found that even a 30-minute nap per day reduces fatigue, concentration problems and energy lessening. The experts had examined the health consequences of sleep deprivation. It is known that persistent insomnia massively affects health. The body is put under stress and the immune system weakened. As a result of persistent sleep deprivation, illnesses such as high blood pressure, diabetes, depression and obesity or obesity are becoming increasingly common. According to the French researchers, a short nap could offer the opportunity to alleviate the harmful effects of sleep deprivation. (Ad)