How Sleep Affects Memory
Sleep is a key part of your overall health, especially when it comes to memory function. When you lay down to sleep, the brain does more than rest. It goes back over your day, processing the information you gathered, prioritizing data, organizing, and filing all that information in the areas they need to go. Without getting a proper amount of sleep you will find it hard to stay focused or recall information, which will lead to difficulty with new information and remembering past experiences. Dr. Aaron Workman, a talented chiropractor at one of the highest rated car accident medical care organizations in Kentucky, discusses how sleep affects memory and how we can improve this process.
Memory formation occurs in three different stages.
- Encoding happens when we first take in new information. This may occur from the process of experiencing something new, reading or listening. This portion of the process will require focus but can also be impaired if you are not getting enough sleep. If your brain is not awake, it will struggle to encode new memories, making it much more difficult to recall them later.
- Consolidation follows the encoding and is a vital part of memory formation. During this process, your short-term memories get moved over to long-term storage. Deep sleep is the ideal time for this to occur and helps strengthen memories of things like important dates, people’s names, or things you are trying to remember for a test in school. Without enough sleep, memories are more likely to fade away.
- Retrieval is the last stage of memory which allows us to recall previous experiences, skills, and facts. A well-rested brain is going to pull information more efficiently. If you find yourself sleep deprived forever scrolling on a device at night, then retrieving information will be a struggle. Studies have shown, and I learned many years ago, that studying information and going to bed helped me remember things before a test. This always worked better than studying the day of the test or pulling an all nighter. If I could accomplish this for several nights in a row I would always do better on tests. The brain needs time to organize what it encounters, so ensuring a proper night’s rest is just as important as studying itself.
If you find you are sleep deprived, then all three of these stages will be impacted. The quality of sleep is just as important as the quantity if you want to prevent forgetfulness. If you wake up at every bump in the night, then your memory consolidation will be spotty. This can be seen in those with insomnia or sleep apnea who are experiencing forgetfulness or difficulty learning something new.
In the end, we can see the importance of sleep in relation to our memory and learning. Sleep improves focus, which leads to strengthening recall and protecting your brain’s well-being. Whether you are in school preparing for tests, learning a new skill at a job, or just keeping up with your cognitive functioning, getting enough sleep is one of the most important ways to support memory and mental sharpness.
— This article is written by Aaron Workman, DC, one of the members of Chambers Medical Group’s team of car accident chiropractors who offer a variety of treatments and therapies ranging from diagnostic testing to various soft tissue therapies for car accidents and injuries in Kentucky.
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