The Sleep Secret To Improving Your Memory Consolidation, According To Research

Previous research has shown that sleep affects memory and, further, that slow oscillations and spindles in the brain are what encourage memory retention. So for this study, researchers wanted to better understand the rhythms of those slow oscillations and sleep spindles (both of which occur during stage 2 sleep, or "light sleep," which makes up 50% of our time sleeping).

Over the course of two sessions, they had participants look at 120 different images that were all associated with different words, followed by a ~two-hour nap in a sleep lab.

While they were both looking at images and sleeping, brain activity and breathing rate were monitored. Once they woke up from their respective naps, participants had to try to remember the word associations of the images.

And fascinatingly enough, there was a strong link between breathing and the reactivation of memories, with results indicating that unhealthy breathing could have a negative impact on memory, and vice versa, quality breathing could be beneficial for memory.

Their findings showed that slow oscillations, spindles, and their interactions increase toward the peak of inhalation peak and, further, that the strength of respiration also plays a role. And given that aging populations are more likely to experience breathing disorders and sleep difficulty, this research could help explain some of the factors at play there, as well.

Whether you want to improve your memory or simply sleep more soundly at night, making sure you're breathing properly appears to be a big part of the equation.

As study co-author Thomas Schreiner, Ph.D., explains in a news release, "Our results show that our breathing and the emergence of characteristic slow oscillation and spindle patterns are linked. That is to say, our breathing influences how memories are consolidated during sleep."