Memories created are sometimes very vulnerable and might slip away. In order to strengthen these memories they have to be rehearsed and recalled several times. It was believed that imprinting of a particular memory was developed as years passed by. However scientists today, say that it just takes a good nap!
In a study done at University of Chicago by Dr Howard Nusbaum, effects of sleep on memory were studied by testing retention of unrelated words. He altered the speech so as to make the words difficult to decipher. This was tested on college students.
The first group understood 21% of the words and after training for an hour they remembered up to 54%.
The second group was tested at 9 in the morning and again 12 hours later. The group remembered 31% of the words by the days end. After a night’s sleep this percentage rose to 40.
The third group were presented with the words at 9 in the evening and tested later the next day. It is fascinating to know that their retention was also 40%.
It is apparent that the process of sleeping probably aids memory formation and retention. Sleeping also strengthens relevant associating and weakens irrelevant ones hence improving access to memory.
