People learn more after a siesta, say scientists | Science | The Guardian

If you’ve ever wondered what to say when your boss finds you asleep at your desk – apart from the possible “I was just studying this mark on the keyboard” or “Actually, I was just doing a “Stress Level Elimination Exercise Plan” (SLEEP)” – you could always print out a copy of this article and fix it to your workspace!

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Curling up for an afternoon nap can improve the brain‘s ability to learn by clearing out cluttered memory space, psychologists say. People who nodded off for an hour after lunch performed better in learning tests than those who stayed awake all afternoon, the scientists found. A study of students revealed that their brains were refreshed by napping only if they entered what is called stage 2 non-REM sleep, which takes place between deep sleep and the dream state, known as REM or rapid eye movement sleep. The findings support a habit made famous by Sir Winston Churchill, who considered it part of his daily routine to climb into bed at some point between lunch and dinner. The research follows a recent study by the same group that showed that staying up all night reduced students’ ability to cram new facts by nearly 40%, a consequence, they said, of brain regions effectively shutting down through sleep deprivation.

via People learn more after a siesta, say scientists | Science | The Guardian.

Strange Random Sleep Quote:

No day is so bad it can’t be fixed with a nap. – Carrie Snow

Related articles

• Sleep and dreams (psychologytoday.com)
• An Afternoon Nap Might Make You Smarter (everydayhealth.com)
• Unleash the Power of the Nap! (artofmanliness.com)
• We program our Dreams: A Myth? (zentocoach.wordpress.com)
• A Siesta Hello and a Happy SMT Update (edifier1.wordpress.com)
• Siesta: A Midday Escape (apartmenttherapy.com)

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