August 5, 2008

Learning requires sleep

Most people were told when they were children, to get enough sleep, as it will make you learn better at school. However, as with much of the advice that parents give to their kids, this probably went in one ear and out of the other without stopping.

Nevertheless, research has now found that parent were right all along, a good night’s sleep actually does help with the learning process. While we sleep our brains go into a sort of processing mode, this is where all of the information and actions that occurred during the day are filed away.

It is not just information; this also works with memories too. By sleeping the brain does not have to worry about everything that is going on around the body, therefore all of that processing power can be put to good use. Creating files and cross-checking memories with other information that has been assimilated that day.

Source [Sciam]