Sleep Bolsters Unconscious Learning, Memory
Thursday, 29 September 2011, 17:31 IST
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Washington: People may be learning while asleep -- an unconscious form of memory still not well understood. "Simply improving your sleep could potentially improve your performance in the classroom," said Kimberly Fenn, assistant professor of psychology at Michigan State University, who led the study. "We speculate that we may be investigating a separate form of memory, distinct from traditional memory systems," adds Fenn. "There is substantial evidence that during sleep, your brain is processing information without your awareness and this ability may contribute to memory in a waking state," added Fenn, according to the Journal of Experimental Psychology: General. In the study involving more than 250 people, Fenn and Zach Hambrick, associate professor of psychology at Michigan, suggest people derive vastly different effects from this "sleep memory" ability, according to a Michigan statement. Some memories improve dramatically and others not at all. This ability is a new, previously undefined form of memory, they add. Fenn said she believes this potential separate memory ability is not being captured by traditional intelligence tests and aptitude tests. "This is the first step to investigate whether or not this potential new memory construct is related to outcomes such as classroom learning," she said. It also reinforces the need for a good night's sleep.
Source: IANS
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