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Young woman asleep over study materials. The relationship between sleep and memory has been studied since at least the early 19th century.Memory, the cognitive process of storing and retrieving past experiences, learning and recognition, [1] is a product of brain plasticity, the structural changes within synapses that create associations between stimuli.
The effects of sleep deprivation on cognitive performance are a broad range of impairments resulting from inadequate sleep, impacting attention, executive function and memory. An estimated 20% of adults or more have some form of sleep deprivation . [ 1 ]
This weakening during sleep allows for strengthening of other connections while we are awake. Learning is the process of strengthening connections, therefore this process could be a major explanation for the benefits that sleep has on memory. [14] Research has shown that taking an afternoon nap increases learning capacity.
Irregular sleep schedules can cause negative impacts on learning, memory, and performance. The dual process theory determines that certain types of memory depend on specific sleep states, like REM and NREM (Non-Rem) states. REM sleep deprivation can reduce sleep-induced improvement such as visual perception, thus influencing how one learns.
Recent studies have also shown that sleep not only helps consolidate memory, but also integrates relational memories. In one study, the participants were tested to see if sleep helped in this aspect (Ellenbogen et al., 2007, as cited in Walker, 2009). The subjects of the experiment were taught five "premise pairs", A>B, B>C, C>D, and D>E.
Sleep can also affect your metabolism. Getting less sleep may decrease your resting metabolic rate and increase your risk of diabetes. A long-term lack of sleep may make weight loss harder and ...
Other studies have been also looking at the specific effects of different stages of sleep on different types of memory. For example, it has been found that sleep deprivation does not significantly affect recognition of faces, but can produce a significant impairment of temporal memory (discriminating which face belonged to which set shown).
The average American woman will reach menopause at age 52, but onset age can range from about 45 to 58, per the Office on Women’s Health in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.