As we have seen in previous discussions, long term memory is defined as a permanent memory that doesn’t disappear or that disappears after many years. Converting experiences into long-term memories is a process that is not completely understood. However, memory experts agree that sleep plays an important part in that process.
The process of creating long-term memories that can be retrieved for later use is commonly called “memory consolidation.” People who do not get adequate sleep do not consolidate and store memories as well as those who sleep well. This information may be related to the assumption that people do not sleep as well when they grow older, nor remember as well. Adequate sleep is not only important for memory consolidation, but for many other forms of health and well-being, as well. In fact, recent research suggests that even short periods of sleep can improve memory and other forms of performance.
For example, A ninety minute daytime nap helps speed up the process of long term memory consolidation, according to a recent study conducted by Prof. Avi Karni and Dr. Maria Korman of the Center for Brain and Behavior Research at the University of Haifa, a 90 minute daytime helps speed up the process of long-term memory consolidation. In this new research, which was published in the scientific journal nature neuroscience, was conducted by researchers at the University of Haifa in cooperation with the Sleep Laboratory at the Sheba Medical Center and researchers from the Department of Psychology at the University of Montreal, it was revealed that a daytime nap changes the consolidation of memories in the brain. Two groups of people practiced an activity which consisted of bringing the thumb and a finger together repeatedly. One of the groups was allowed to nap for an hour and a half after learning the task while the other group stayed awake.
The group that slept in the afternoon showed improvement in their task performance by that evening. The group that stayed awake did not show any improvement. However, following an entire night’s sleep, both groups exhibited the same skill level. “This part of the research showed that a daytime nap speeds up performance improvement in the brain. After a night’s sleep the two groups were at the same level, but the group that slept in the afternoon improved faster than the group that stayed awake,” stressed Prof. Karni.
In conclusion, if you need to memorize something quickly or if your schedule is filled with different activities which require learning how to do things, it is worth finding the time for an afternoon nap. This is especially true for older people who may not sleep as well at night.