Running Head How Does Sleep Or Rest Improve Memory?

This paper examines five different sources of information that addresses information pertaining to wakeful resting or sleeping and the effects it has on memory garnered by experiments performed on humans and animals. Wakeful resting is defined as an individual that has not fallen asleep but has engaged in a period of rest that cuts them off from the distractions of the outside world. Sleep is the bodies natural cycle of rest that suspends the consciousness and allows both the body and the mind to take a break from any stressful activities and recover. By either taking a short wakeful rest or going to sleep after learning new material, memory consolidation in both humans and animals will be improved, and it is not limited to humans that

There are a few factors that are essential for life such as breathing or eating, but one of the most essential factor is sleep. Even though the amount of sleep people need differs from one individual to another, the fact is that eventually everyone needs to sleep. People know the importance of sleep, but due to the increased workload and the pressure of society people are getting less sleep. As a result, there has been an increase interest on the effects lack of sleep has on the mind especially the memory of a person. Many questions arose about the relationship between sleep and memory due to the fact most high school and college students have become sleep deprived. For example, does more sleep mean higher grades?

An article in Nature Neuroscience from February 2009 describes an experiment which was conducted regarding sleep and its correlation to memory. Memory was impaired after 35 hours of sleep deprivation weekly and constant shallow sleep. Regular sleep benefits memory as newly stored information is easily encoded. Proper sleep is crucial for processing and retaining new information. Those who suffer from sleep deprivation struggle to maintain new information and with comprehension skills. In order for students to maximize their learning capabilities, they need the proper sleep to be mentally prepared for

Considering the restoration model, the concept explains, “Sleep recharges our run-down bodies and allows us to recover from physical and mental fatigue” (187). Considering this, days that I work especially hard in the classroom and in the gym I will follow up with a good night’s rest. In addition, because I am bombarded with information every day, from studying and homework assignments, I will be sure to create my sleep schedule while considering the memory consolidation theory, which states that during sleep the brain begins a gradual process by transferring information into the long-term memory (188). In light of these two reasons, my sleep and circadian rhythm management becomes even more essential. Experiencing this better sleep, my body and mind will refresh and my ability to pay attention and encode material in class will

This article explains the importance of getting the perfect amount of sleep at night. The idea that sleeping for less than five hours or more than nine hours proves to have a negative effect on the human body. Sleep deprivation has a closely related link to memory retention and can cause a person to have trouble with daily task. The author continues to explain that not only is the brain effected by too little or too much sleep, but the rest of the body is also effected. Conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and even depression have links to not getting the perfect amount of sleep. The article concludes with listing tips to get the ideal amount of sleep at night, such as, going to sleep and waking up at the same time every day and limiting the amount of caffeine that is consumed throughout the day.

All mammals exhibit Rapid-Eye-Movement, or REM, sleep, and yet on certain levels this type of sleep would seem to be disadvantageous. During REM sleep, which is when most dreams occur, the brain uses much more energy than during non-REM (NREM) sleep. (1) This "waste" of energy coupled with the increased vulnerability of this state on account of the body's paralysis at this time suggests that there must be a very important reason, or reasons, for the existence of REM sleep and in extension of dreams. Determining the function of dreams, however, has proved very problematic with many arguments which directly oppose each other. Some of the primary functions of dreaming have been

Researchers tested this idea by monitoring several individuals’ performance declines on memory tasks following selective sleep deprivation or administration of drugs that hinder the NREM-REM cycle. Performance on procedural memory

In the article , “ The Truth about Napping”, the text analyzes how, “...nighttime sleep or a daytime nap, primes the brain to function at a higher level, allowing us to come up with better ideas, find solutions to puzzles more quickly, identify patterns faster and recall information more accurately,” (“The Truth about Napping”, paragraph 6). This points out that both nighttime and daytime naps can assist in healing the brain concentrate and focus while dealing with laborious puzzles. Napping can also help the brain become attentive enough to the point where recalling information is an effortless task. Identifying patterns are an asset from having an attentive and alert perspective which comes from the benefits of napping as well. In the end, napping either in the morning or at nighttime is profitable while dealing with difficult predicaments and helping one overcome them with

Sleep is essential for optimal human function. In fact, a lack of sleep can actually affect important cognitive functions, like memory. A 2007 study added to the already substantial evidence that even acute total sleep deprivation impairs attentiveness, working memory, and reaction time in various tasks (Alhola, Polo-Kantola). One such way to further this investigation of the effects of sleep deprivation on memory is through the Memory Interference Test, or MIT. MIT is a program designed by Gaston Pfluegl, Ph.D., and Enrique Lopez, Psy. D., at UCLA to test the memory of students. Along with a memory test, the MIT also anonymously collected the physical states, mental states, and demographics of each student test subject, providing a substantial database through which students can test hypotheses, such as the connection between sleep deprivation and memory. Since the MIT requires short-term memory recall, the hours of sleep a student had before taking the test could have a noticeable effect on his or her performance. An unprecedented study this year found that sleep deprivation may actually even induce false memories, which would certainly impact a student taking the MIT because the test requires the subject to recognize images that have been previously presented to them (Frenda, et al). The hypothesis is that students who slept 8 hours before the test will perform better on the MIT than students who only slept 4 hours. The null hypothesis is that students who had adequate

In this paper, I will be talking about an average night’s rest cycle and how an absence of rest can affect one’s capacity to learn and that individual’s wellbeing. Rest assumes a crucial part healthy and prosperity. Lack of sleep is connected to diminish physical wellbeing, psychological well-being, and scholastic execution.

The Computer Memory Interference Test (CMIT) is a test that is designed to evaluate how memory is affected by a myriad of different variables. With results from this test, scientists are able to determine if an individual has a serious memory disorder such as Alzheimer’s, or other cognitive disorders such as Autism. This test can also determine how memory is affected by different cultures and lifestyles. This study will concentrate on lifestyle; more specifically, it will focus on the effect of lack of sleep on memory. Lack of sleep is a topic that interests many scientists because sleep is a necessary tool to keep the brain functioning correctly. It is known that sleep is essential for the brain to be able to process, recall and maneuver episodic and semantic information (Alberca-Reina E, Cantero JL, & Atienza M, 2015). Many scientists have asked themselves if lack of sleep can affect an individual’s memory in their everyday life and with this, some concerns have been raised. For the average person, the effect of lack of sleep on their memory could simply be a nuisance, but for others it could be a matter of life or death. For example, individuals with demanding, high-pressure jobs usually don’t get sufficient sleep and normally these jobs are extremely important such as doctors, pilots, police officers, lawyers etc. For this reason, it is crucial to determine to what extent lack of sleep affects memory and therefore performance. Thanks to the CMIT, a

Sleep is one of the unavoidable daily-living activities and it is one of the most important factors contributing to a person’s health. A quality sleep is essential for the physical, cognitive and psychological well-being of a person. Learning, memory processing and maintenance of the brain are among the most important functions of sleep. In addition to maintaining the brain, sleep has important roles in controlling the

Performance across a wide range of cognitive processes has been tested. Studies demonstrate that naps are as good as a night of sleep for some types of memory tasks. A NASA study led by David F. Dinges, professor at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, found that naps can improve certain memory functions and that long naps are more effective than short ones. In that NASA study, volunteers spent several days living on one of 18 different sleep schedules, all in a laboratory setting. To measure the effectiveness of the naps, tests probing memory, alertness, response time, and other cognitive skills were

Half of the participants, chosen at random, would then sleep in the laboratory for approximately eight hours before being awakened in the morning, being urged to fall asleep as soon as they could, and with the average time it takes on to fall asleep being taken into account. Those who had to stay awake would leave for eight hours and return. Both groups would assure that no rehearsing had been done, and they would then have to recall the lists and associations. In most of the rehearsals for testing, sleep proved to facilitate recall better than staying awake did. However, the facilitation was not incredibly significant. In some of the pro-active and retroactive cases, sleep did not actually facilitate memory at all—both sleeping and awake people tested equally.

ii. Study made by researchers on the two groups of mice is actually convincing regarding the fact that sleep facilitates long term memory.