Forget Something? Better sleep means stronger memories.
Do you remember your dreams? Or are you one of the millions who tosses, turns, wakes up constantly and sees dreaming as a distant fantasy?
New research reported in the journal Science adds a new dimension to our understanding of sleep and specifically, the importance of dreaming. Turns out, without dreams, our real waking memories could fade away and our ability to make more could effectively stop altogether.
Scientists have found that interfering with the sleep patterns of mice, specifically interrupting the rhythmic brain patterns that occur during REM sleep, can prevent the animals from remembering things they learned during the previous day.
In people, REM sleep is the dream phase, and it appears that without it, we could be doing more harm to our minds and bodies that previously thought.
Luckily, there are many ways we can improve our sleep. Simple strategies like reducing caffeine consumption, going to bed at the same time every night, and turning off all electronics in the room (especially blue-light-emitting gadgets like tablets, cell phones and televisions), are proven to promote more restful slumber.
Natural supplements can also help. Melatonin has proven to be effective for shift-workers and travelers attempting to adjust to new sleep schedules and new research shows that GABA (or gamma-amino-butyric acid) can help us all fall asleep faster and reach the deep, restorative sleep our bodies need.
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