Sleep plays an integral role in almost every bodily function. From boosting the repair of damaged cells to allowing for the regulation of hormones, the amount and quality of sleep you get is the bedrock of your well-being. This is most clearly represented in the way that sleep influences cognition, specifically in the slow analytical and recognition skills that come with sleep deprivation. In this article, we explore the answer to the question, “How does sleep affect memory?”
How Does Sleep Affect Memory?
The CDC reports that an alarming number of people experience some form of sleep insufficiency. In particular, adolescents struggle to get enough sleep at this crucial stage in their development. In addition to increasing the risk of certain diseases and mental illness, deficient sleep can severely hamper memory.
Memory Formation
One function of sleep is to help the brain integrate memories from the day into longer-term storage. Each stage of sleep plays a role in this process. For example, short-wave sleep reactivates memories and prepares them for storage, while REM sleep may help link memories together.
A full sleep cycle is approximately 90 minutes and brings the body through the five stages of the sleep cycle: wake, N1, N2, N3, and REM. If you cut any of these stages short or rise in the middle of the cycle, you will not reap the full benefits of that time asleep. In particular, memories from the previous day may not fully integrate, resulting in poorer recall in the future.
People who wake up throughout the night may not be passing through these stages properly, leading to notable memory deficits. Additionally, using an alarm in the morning immediately interrupts your current sleep stage, so it is important to plan your sleep to align with the length of your sleep cycles.
Information Retention
In addition to affecting memory storage at night, your quality of sleep influences memory formation during the day. A well-rested mind will have a greater capacity for attending to stimuli throughout the day. In other words, more sleep allows you to focus better. Impaired focus increases the difficulty of any task, whether that is washing the dishes or writing a paper. In some cases, the impaired focus can put you at physical risk, such as when operating a motor vehicle or heavy machinery. Furthermore, impaired focus also means less effective processing of new information.
Try to remember a time that you read a news article or book when you could barely keep your eyes open. Now, think about how much of that information you can recall. The likely answer is not that much.
How to Sleep Better and Improve Memory
Avoid Screens
You have likely heard this before, but it warrants repetition: the light from screens (not to mention the stimulus from the app, game, or movie itself) sends the brain the wrong message if you are trying to go to sleep. Instead of helping you prepare for sleep, screen lights sustain alertness and counter attempts at a peaceful slumber.
Develop a Sleep Routine
Our brains love routine. Building a sleep routine will send your brain signals that, with consistency, will help it recognize when it is time to sleep. One aspect of a good sleep routine is avoiding substances like alcohol and coffee. It also means adding actions to your evening that will help you wind down. Breathing exercises, calming tea, or reading can all be low-stimulation ways to signal to your brain that bedtime approaches.
Give Yourself a Better Sleep Window
Many people have come to rely on alarm clocks as their primary means of waking up. Though they are a convenient way to ensure wakefulness at proper times in the morning, they do not account for your circadian rhythm. An alarm clock will cut your sleep off regardless of its quality or duration.
Our advice: ditch the alarm clock.
Here’s how to do it:
- Step 1: Go to sleep earlier.
- Step 2: Use your alarm to wake up 7 to 8 hours later than that time, but ensure that it is set so that you wake up with plenty of time (perhaps around two hours) before your day’s obligations, like work or classes.
- Step 3: Repeat the process until your sleep cycle adjusts.
- Step 4: Turn off your alarm and let yourself naturally wake up.
As long as you go to sleep around the same time each night, you should naturally wake up at your desired time with no alarm clock assistance. You will feel more rested, and your waking and sleeping memory-making abilities will improve.
Rest Better, Think Better
Sleep MD is a leading sleep disorder treatment center for patients across NYC, providing tools and treatments for better rest and better cognitive functioning.
