Memory: long live the hidden nap!

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Memory: the benefits of napping with eye masks

According to two recent studies, taking a regular 30-minute nap, moreover with an eye mask, would have many benefits for memory and cognitive functions.

With the democratization of telework, more and more of us are rediscovering the many benefits of a nap. If you are interested in further optimizing this practice in order, in particular, to boost your brain and your alertness and memory capacities, here is the ideal nap duration to adopt as well as an essential accessory to optimize the benefits: the mask for eyes !

Thirty minutes of sleep to boost memory

Researchers from the Center for Sleep and Cognition at Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine wondered if there is an ideal mid-afternoon nap length that strikes a balance between practicality and meaningful benefits?

After asking 32 young adults to take naps of ten, thirty and sixty minutes, they concluded thata thirty-minute nap is the minimum needed to achieve memory benefits, and seems to offer the best balance between practicality and benefits. Indeed, if all the naps ranging from ten minutes to one hour allowed to be in a more positive mood and to be more vigilant, only the naps of thirty minutes minimum (by planning approximately 10 additional minutes to fall asleep) presented measurable memory benefits.

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An eye mask

If you are looking to boost your memory even more because you are going through an intense professional period, or simply for your health, you can add an accessory to your nap: the eye mask. Indeed, scientists have just discovered that blocking ambient light would help improve alertness and memory through changes that could benefit everyday tasks like studying or driving.

This European and North American study involving 122 participants aged 18 to 35 concluded that wearing an eye mask while sleeping helps to increase the faculties of reaction, the memory of events as well as various cognitive tasks (such as the association of pairs of words).

According to the data measured by the researchers, sleeping with a blindfold would promote “slow wave” sleep. However, this phase of sleep (including the first phase of falling asleep, called light slow sleep, and the second phase of deep slow sleep) is considered the most restorative for the body and is known for its important role when it comes to increasing memory.

You now know what you have to do so that you don’t forget this article a few minutes after reading it!

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Bibliographic references

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