Sleep Deprivation and Memory Loss - WebMD

Without adequate sleep, your brain becomes foggy, your judgment poor, and your fine motor skills hindered. The Power of Sleep. Imaging and ... MenuNewsReferenceSlideshowsQuizzesBlogsVideosMedicationsFindaNeurologistGoodSleepHabitsSleepDisordersOtherSleepProblemsWhatAffectsSleepTests&TreatmentsTools&ResourcesWhatAreDreams?BodyTemperatureDuringSleepREMSleepHowMuchSleepIsEnough?SleepandMemoryTipsforaGreatNight'sSleepCircadianRhythmDrugInteractionCheckerInsomniaRestlessLegsSyndromeSleepApneaSnoringTeethGrindingTrackYourSleepMoreRelatedTopicsSleepDisordersReferenceMenuMedicallyReviewedbyBrunildaNazario, MDonAugust02,2022ArticlesOnDreamingWhatAreDreams?BodyTemperatureDuringSleepREMSleepHowMuchSleepIsEnough?SleepandMemoryTipsforaGreatNight'sSleepItisnosecretthatagoodnight'ssleepmakesyoufeelbetter.Notonlydoessleepgiveyourbodytimetorestandrecharge,itmayalsobecrucialtoyourbrain'sabilitytolearnandremember.Duringsleep,whileyourbodyrests,yourbrainisbusyprocessinginformationfromthedayandformingmemories.Ifyouaresleepdeprived,youareatriskofdevelopinganumberofserioushealthproblems,suchashypertension,obesity,anddiabetes,andyourabilitytolearnandretainnewinformationmaybeimpaired.Thismaynotbenewstoanyonewhohaspulledanall-nightercrammingforatestonlytofindthefactsandfigurestheyknewat2a.m.couldnotberecalledthenextday.Withoutadequatesleep,yourbrainbecomesfoggy,yourjudgmentpoor,andyourfinemotorskillshindered.ThePowerofSleepImagingandbehavioralstudiescontinuetoshowthecriticalrolesleepplaysinlearningandmemory.Researchersbelievethatsleepaffectslearningandmemoryintwoways:Lackofsleepimpairsaperson'sabilitytofocusandlearnefficiently.Sleepisnecessarytoconsolidateamemory(makeitstick)sothatitcanberecalledinthefuture.MakingMemoriesTherearedifferenttypesofmemories.Somearefact-based,suchasrememberingthenameofstatecapitals.Someareepisodic--basedoneventsinyourlife,suchasyourfirstkiss.Andsomememoriesareproceduralorinstructional,suchashowtorideabikeorplaythepiano.Forsomethingtobecomeamemory,threefunctionsmustoccur,including:Acquisition--learningorexperiencingsomethingnewConsolidation--thememorybecomesstableinthebrainRecall--havingtheabilitytoaccessthememoryinthefutureBothacquisitionandrecallarefunctionsthattakeplacewhenyouareawake.However,researchersbelievesleepisrequiredforconsolidationofamemory,nomatterthememorytype.Withoutadequatesleep,yourbrainhasahardertimeabsorbingandrecallingnewinformation.Sleepdoesmorethanhelpsharpenthemind.Studiesshowthatsleepaffectsphysicalreflexes,finemotorskills,andjudgment,too.Onestudyshowedthatparticipantswhoweresleepdeprivedweremorelikelytothinktheywererightwhentheywere,infact,wrong.Studiesinvolvingmemorytestsshowthatafterasinglenightofsleep,orevenanap,peopleperformbetter,whetheronatest,intheoffice,ontheathleticfield,orinaconcerthall.WhatHappensWhenYouSleep?Scientistsdon'tknowexactlyhowsleepenhancesmemory,butitappearstoinvolvethebrain'shippocampusandneocortex--thepartofthebrainwherelong-termmemoriesarestored.Itisthoughtthatduringsleep,thehippocampusreplaystheeventsofthedayfortheneocortex,whereitreviewsandprocessesmemories,helpingthemtolastforthelongterm.Researcherscontinuetoinvestigatethestagesofsleepinvolvedinmakingcertaintypesofmemories.Somestudieshaveshownthatcertainkindsofmemoriesbecomestableduringrapideyemovement(REM)sleep--thetimewhenyoudream.Otherstudieshavefoundthatsometypesofmemoriesaremostoftensecuredduringslow-wave,deepsleep.Scientistsaregettingclosertounderstandingwhatsleepdoestoourbrain,buttherearestillmanyquestionstobeanswered.What’scertainisthatsleepisabiologicalnecessity--weneedittosurvive.Unfortunately,inthisdayandage,fewofusareabletogetthesleepweneedtofunctionourbest.Expertsrecommendadultsgetseventoninehoursofsleepeachnight.Althoughthismaynotbeattainableeverynight,itshouldbethegoal.SleepTipsHerearesometipstohelpyougetmoresleep:Gotosleepandwakeupatthesametimeeachday.Getregularexercise,butdonotexerciseclosetobedtime.Expertsrecommendallowingatleastthreehoursbetweenexerciseandbed.Avoidcaffeine,alcohol,andnicotinebeforegoingtosleep.Taketimetounwindbeforegoingtosleep.Takeawarmbath,readabook,drinksomecaffeine-freetea,andavoidanyactivitiesthatcancausetension.Finisheatingtwotothreehoursbeforegoingtobed.Createapleasantsleepingenvironment:maketheroomdark,cool,andcomfortable.Useasoundmachine,orothertypeofwhitenoisedevice,toblockoutunwantedsounds.WearablesensorssuchasFitBit, Applewatch,Garmin,andWhoop,cancollectbiometricdatasuchas heartrate,heartratevariabilityandhoursofsleep.TechnologiessuchasApollowearablecanalsodeliverlightvibrationstotheskinatdifferentfrequenciesandintensities,whichmayhelptopositivelyalterthenervoussystemtohelpfocus,reducestress,andimprovesleep.DonotwatchTVorusethecomputerinbed.Useyourbedroomforsleepandsexonly.Maintainingahealthylifestyle,includinggettingregularandqualitysleep,canbeachallenge,especiallywhenyouarestressedwithaworkdeadlineortest.But,remember(andyouneedsleeptodothis!),sleepisyourfriend.So,whenitcomestolearningandmemory,sleeponit.WhyYouSnoreandHowtoStopVideo:YogaforBetterSleepWhat'sCausingYourAches?YourSleepPositionandYourHealthWhat'stheBestSleepPosition?[ss_icon]13JobsThatCanWreckYourSleepCopingwithMemoryLossWhenYourMemoryPlaysTricksonYouTipsforaBetterMemoryIsYourMemoryNormal?4WaystoStopAge-RelatedMemoryLoss9BrainBoosterstoPreventMemoryLossMemoryLossWithAlzheimer'sDisease:WhattoExpectDementiaandAlzheimer'sMemoryLossTopicsFightFatigue12reasonswhyyou'retired--andhowtofightthem.SleepApneaCanyoutellmythfromfact?ZzzzzzzzzzzWhatdoyourdreamssayaboutyou?Wake-UpTips11waystomakethemorningeasier.QuizWhatDoYourDreamsSayAboutYou?SlideshowHowYourSleepPositionAffectsYourHealthArticleADHDandSleepProblemsQuizWhyYouNeedZZZsSlideshowFoodsThatHelporHarmYourSleepToolsStillAwake?GetPersonalizedTipstoHelpYouSleepQuizInsomnia?TestYourSleepSmartsSlideshowSleepProblems:YourEssentialGuideWhyYouSnoreandHowtoStopJobsThatWreckYourSleepWhyYouNeedtoGetEnoughSleep10WaystoRestWithaColdVideo:YogaMovesforBetterSleepWhat'stheBestSleepPosition?HealthSolutionsPenisCurvedWhenErect?CouldIhaveCAD?TreatBentFingersTreatHR+,HER2-MBCTiredofDandruff?BenefitsofCBDRethinkMSTreatmentAFib-RelatedStrokesRiskofaFutureDVT/PEIsMyPenisNormal?RelapsingMSOptionsLiverTransplantsSaveLivesFinancePlasticSurgeryBentFingerCausesLivingWithPsoriasis?MissingTeeth?MorefromWebMD5TipstoHelpWithRelapsingMSHowtoThriveWithNarcolepsyReliefforBlockedHairFolliclesPsoriaticArthritisandYourSleepWhatPsoriasisFeelsLikeFirstPsoriaticArthritisFlareTalkingtoYourDoctorAboutRACrohn's:A'Full-Body'DiseaseAvoidingCrohn’sFlaresHealthBenefitsofHempSeedOilLiveBetterWithPsoriaticDiseaseTypesofB-CellTherapyforMS5HealthBenefitsofHempWhyProstateCancerSpreadsLivingwithAdvancedBreastCancerWhereBreastCancerSpreads