Sleep Makes Your Memories Stronger, and Helps With Creativity

AUTHOR: Science Daily Staff/Association for Psychological Science

PUBLICATION NAME: Science Daily

DATE OF PUBLICATION: November 12, 2010

SUMMARY: Scientists have proven that humans spend about a third of their lives sleeping. According to the authors of an article in “Current Directions in Psychological Science,” sleeping seems to reorganize memories by picking out certain memories, such as the emotional ones and reconfiguring them to help create and produce fresh and innovative ideas. Sleep makes memories become stronger and restructure. According to Payne and Kensinger’s studies about what happens to memories during sleep, they have proven and found that if a person is asleep, they have a tendency to hang on to the most emotional and affecting part of a memory. For instance, if someone were to be tested after a night of sleep and were shown a scene or a picture of an emotional and disturbed object, such as a burning house, wrecked car, or an injured person or animal, they are more likely to respond and expected to remember the emotive object in the scene or picture than the non-emotive object(s) in the background. Payne and Kensinger have also measured people’s brain activity during their sleep. According to Payne and Kensinger’s brain activity research and results, they have found that certain areas and regions of the brain that are involved with memory and emotion consolidation are dynamic and active. During our sleep, our brains are full of activity. They are not only strengthening and stabilizing our memories, but also organizing them. Our brains are also selecting out the most noticeable, significant, and striking information we have. As a result, it is making it possible for us to come up with new and innovative ideas.

LINKS TO STUDY: None

ARTICLE: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/11/101113165441.htm

SUBMITTED BY: Arielle Calara