A team of researchers at Harvard Medical School led by assistant professor Robert Stickgold found that recently learnt motor skills were retained much better after an eight hour sleep. They also noted that even having a nap soon after learning a new skill, improved performance.
Researchers using PET scanning techniques reported that during REM sleep parts of the brain were very active, whereas, during deep sleep the brain is relatively inactive. This led researchers to believe that REM sleep was associated with learning, chemical changes in the brain also indicated this. Norepinephrine and serotonin were almost closed down while others, particularly acetylcholine, associated with memory improvement ,was increased.
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memory improved by a good night's sleep
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