When we have had a poor night’s sleep our brain functions are generally slower and we find it harder to concentrate for any period of time on almost any given task. However, whilst some people may believe that ths is the reason for our memories sometimes being poor, there is actually a whole lot more to it than that.
Sleep helps our minds to consolidate information we have learnt throughout the day, and if the sleeping conditions you have are not right, then letting that information take hold within the memory will be far harder. Slow-wave sleep and REM are both hugely important factors in allowing our synapses to respond to learnt information and store it in the relative areas of our brain. If these stages of sleep become disturbed or do not last for long enough, the memories simply won’t take hold in the right way and in turn searching for information won’t be interrupted by a confused and tired brain, but simply by the fact the memory has not taken hold.
So suddenly it becomes clear just how important good, restful sleep is, and that tossing and turning can lead to many more issues than we might have realised. It is therefore important that your mattress is up to scratch, and that your sleeping environment is one that promotes peaceful relaxation.
Throwing out that old double mattress and switching it for a double mattress made of memory foam, or simply even one designed for optimum comfort will be a great way to help you start to sleep better and in turn aid the strengthening of your memory. Many of us think that we suffer poor sleeping patterns just because we are that way inclined, but whilst stress can play a part, the majority of us simply suffer from not having the right mattress and a quiet and relaxing place to rest our heads.