(Ana Sandoiu/ Medical News Today) — Most of us know that without sleep, we are unable to create new memories. But is simply resting — without falling into the dreamy state — for only 10 minutes after learning something enough for us to memorize it in fine detail? Recent research suggests so.
Sleep and memory are loving bedfellows. Sleep “blocks” our brain’s mechanisms of forgetting, lowering the neurotransmitter dopamine, and therefore facilitating memory formation.
Furthermore, recent studies have revealed that sleep is key for consolidating memories that we made while awake, as well as for preserving the brain’s ability to learn new things in the future.
For instance, a study revealed that during sleep, our synapses relax, staying supple and flexible, which maintains our brain’s neuroplasticity and ability to learn. (…)