Research shows that taking a break after learning something new can help you remember the details.
Do you remember when teachers said to you that you should study before you go to bed in order to retain information? They were right.It turns out that you don’t need to get a whole night of sleep in order to improve your memory.–A short, peaceful rest is apparently all that’s needed.
Researchers at the Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, Michaela Dewar and Michael Craig have found that a peaceful, meditative sleep works as well as deep REM when it comes to metabolizing and recalling new information. Craig says: Recent research suggests that weak memories can be strengthened by activating them. Brain activity that was first seen during learning is automatically reactivated in the minutes that follow.
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The research shows that it is not about remembering new information. It can also be helpful to rest after learning. Dewar stated that quiet time and memory have a positive correlation, especially when we are not actively absorbing sensory information.
Craig and Dewar created a memory test to find out what makes them so certain. 60 participants (average age 21) were asked to examine a series of photos. They were then asked to distinguish old photos from those that were similar. The subjects would identify the photos as similar if they were able to recall the details. If they couldn’t recognize the details of a new photograph, they would label it old.It was found that subjects who rested for the photo tests were more able to notice subtle details than those who didn’t..
Craig and Dewar were pleased with their findings. However, they acknowledge that the inner workings of this phenomenon remain a mystery.
Dewar concluded that we don’t know how rest-related memory strength works. Dewar said that it is not clear whether quiet resting allows us to retain more information or if it helps us retain more detail.
Most people don’t understand how the brain works, but we do know that healthy sleep hygiene can help strengthen our memory.
