Ep160: Memory and Sleep: How Sleep Helps Us Consolidate Memories with Dr. Eitan Schechtman

OVERVIEW

"So I was really excited about researching sleep and memory for starting a few years ago because I really felt like this black box of sleep's impact on cognition is now starting to crack open."

In particular, slow wave sleep is the deepest stage of sleep and is most important for declarative memories, such as facts and events. It is also important for emotional memories and motor memories, such as riding a bike, but the literature is less clear on this. If we are deprived of sleep, or our sleep quality is poor, it can have a severe impact on our memory and our performance.

So, if you want to remember things better and perform better, it is essential to protect your sleep. Make sure to get enough sleep the night before an important exam or presentation, and try to reduce anxiety before bed. Sleep is the key to better memory and better performance.

In this episode of the "Deep into Sleep" podcast, Dr. Yishan interviews Dr. Eitan Schechtman, an assistant professor at the University of California Irvine, and head of the Cognitive Neuroscience of Sleep Lab. They discuss the relationship between sleep and memory consolidation, with Dr. Schectman sharing his expertise on the topic. He explains that sleep is essential for remembering things better and performing better, and talks about some of the exciting studies he has conducted in his lab. This episode offers a fascinating glimpse into the cutting-edge research being conducted in the field of sleep science.

Sleep improves memory
Sleep is essential for memory
Sleep is not an "offline" period - the brain is actively processing information while asleep.
Memory consolidation occurs during sleep.
Studies have shown that sleeping improves memory more than an equivalent time awake.
Memory consolidation is an active process during sleep.
Sleep is necessary for cementing memories.

"It's actually very layered. There's a lot of different arms of this research. One of them, for example, talks about how we learn new things after sleep and how sleep deprivation prevents us from learning new information after a night of sleep or lack thereof." - Dr. Eitan Schechtman

If you are having difficulty falling or staying asleep, check Dr. Yishan’s Sleep Improvement Course here!

WHAT WILL WE LEARN

[00:00:22] Sleep and memory consolidation.

[00:05:04] Memory and sleep relationship.

[00:08:32] Impact of Sleep on Memory.

[00:13:48] Protecting Sleep for Better Memory.

[00:17:21] Dream lag effect.

[00:21:27] REM sleep and memory consolidation.

[00:09:01] Mental health in quarantine.

Are you so sleepy that you cannot focus? Are you tired of getting through the day drinking coffee? Are you worried how your poor sleep may impact your health? Checkout Dr. Yishan Xu’s Insomnia Treatment Course!

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