A small new study showed that a certain type of sound stimulation during sleep might help improve a person’s memory.
The findings suggest an easy and noninvasive method that can improve memory.
The slow oscillations in brain activity occur during slow-wave sleep and are critical for preserving memories. A new study found that playing sounds to the rhythm of those oscillations enhances the oscillations and boosts memory reserve.
According to the authors of a study from the University of Tubingen in Germany, the advantages of the method are obvious. “The benefit is in the simplicity of applying auditory stimulation at low intensities – an approach that is both practical and ethical, compared to, for example, with electrical stimulation. Consequently, we obtain a simple tool for clinical use – one of the authors of the method, Dr. Jan born.
Scientists conducted test on 11 volunteers, while they slept. Under the influence of stimulating sounds that were in sync with the slow rhythm of the oscillations of brain activity, participants were better able to remember word associations they learned the night before. The researchers also say that new sound technique can also improve sleep.
