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Sleep and memory: how the brain locks in learning overnight

Updated Six Habits Editorial Team
The short answerSleep plays an active role in consolidating memory. During deep slow-wave sleep the brain "replays" new memories and transfers them from temporary to long-term storage, while REM sleep is linked to skills and emotional memory. That is why pulling an all-nighter before an exam is usually less effective than studying and then sleeping well.

Key points

How sleep helps memory

A comprehensive review in Physiological Reviews described how sleep supports memory. During slow-wave sleep, the hippocampus replays recently learned information, which is gradually integrated into long-term storage in the cortex. REM sleep appears to support procedural skills and emotional memory. Sleep after learning strengthens memories more than an equal amount of time awake (Rasch & Born, 2013).

Naps

Short daytime naps can also benefit memory and learning in healthy adults (Milner & Cote, 2009).

Practical tips for studying

Frequently asked questions

Does studying right before sleep help?

Reviewing material before a full night’s sleep can help consolidation, as long as it does not cut your sleep short.

Are all-nighters ever worth it?

Rarely. Sleep deprivation impairs attention, working memory and recall the next day.

Sources

  1. Rasch et al. (2013). About Sleep's Role in Memory. Physiological Reviews 93(2):681-766. doi:10.1152/physrev.00032.2012
  2. MILNER et al. (2009). Benefits of napping in healthy adults: impact of nap length, time of day, age, and experience with napping. Journal of Sleep Research 18(2):272-281. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2869.2008.00718.x
  3. Watson et al. (2015). Recommended Amount of Sleep for a Healthy Adult: A Joint Consensus Statement of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and Sleep Research Society. SLEEP. doi:10.5665/sleep.4716

Prepared according to our evidence methodology and the principles of lifestyle medicine. For education only; it does not replace advice from your doctor.

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