How Your Sleep Shapes Your Memory

Your mind - referring to your thoughts, memory, and learning abilities - relies on sleep to help it absorb and maintain information. Good quality, sufficient sleep allows your brain to retain learning and store it correctly in your brain. 

During the non-REM stages of the sleep cycle, the brain sorts through the day's memories and retains key information - an ability that is dictated by the quality and duration of your sleep. The REM stage consolidates emotional elements of memories, such as happiness from a precious memory.

The non-REM stage also helps the brain prepare for learning the next day. You may have noticed that after a bad night's sleep, you struggle to retain what needs to be processed at school or at work - and that's a key example of the relationship between our minds and their reliance on decent rest.

Sleep deprivation, even if you feel sufficiently rested during the day, can cause serious problems with your mental and cognitive abilities. These include (but are not limited to):

• lack of productivity
• decreased mood, such as depression or anxiety
• lack of alertness, especially in dangerous situations such as driving or when operating heavy machinery
• memory problems, such as inability to remember events or recall important information
• mood swings 
• irritability
• poor concentration
• lack of motivation

As discussed in the relationship between your mind and your sleep, insufficient time to store, sift through, and make space for a memory can cause an inability to recall memories during your waking life. 

While you may be tempted to burn the midnight oil when it comes to studying for a big exam or preparing for an important day at work, staying up late and not getting the recommended 7-9 hours of sleep can be counterproductive. Looking over information can bring key details to the forefront of your mind, but your brain and body will struggle to retain them in the long term.

If you want to improve your brain power - especially your memory and ability to recall information quickly, improving your sleep is the first port of call. 

Focusing on sleep hygiene - a term given to the overall behaviours in your day and nighttime life and their relation to your sleep - is essential. Examples of good sleep hygiene include (but are not limited to):

• waking up and going to bed at the same time
• keeping noise and light distractions out of your bedroom
• avoiding excess blue light from screens before bed
• getting at least 7-9 hours of sleep every night
• maintaining a good diet and plenty of exercise

However, if sleep hygiene fails to correct problems with your memory, there may be other factors at play, such as:

• mental health issues, such as stress
• nutritional deficiencies
• In rare cases, neurological disorders like a brain tumour or dementia

These need to be diagnosed and treated by a medical professional, especially if the problems with your memory are sudden and significant.