Scented Sleep Boosts Memory in the Morning

By Jessica Allen, Newser User

Posted Mar 19, 2007 11:04 PM CDT

(Newser) – Add a little scent to your evening and your sleep, and your memory works better in the morning. A recent study showed that the smell of roses, administered while participants played a computer game, and then while they slept, improved their rate of recall after they woke by 13 percent.

The scent, thought to act as a stimulus to the part of the brain consolidating memories from the night before, worked only when applied during deep-sleep cycles, and not dream-filled REM sleep. The findings demonstrate that some regions of the brain and phases of sleep may be uniquely specialized to help process learned information—and that external clues can enhance the process.

' ((c) sunshinecity)

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See Something Traumatic? Don't Sleep Right Away

You might lock in those nasty memories: Study

Disturbed Sleep Hurts Memory

Brain needs deep sleep to decide what to retain

Why We Can't Remember Being 2

Researchers investigate the science of early memories

Scientists Show How We Remember Dreams

But they're still not sure about the 'why' part

Stressed Out? You'll Learn Better

Stress hormones alter brain cells, aiding in memory storage

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OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

medicine • sleep • memory • brain • senses • smell • rose

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

[ By Comments ]

More Newser Stories

See Something Traumatic? Don't Sleep Right Away

You might lock in those nasty memories: Study

Disturbed Sleep Hurts Memory

Brain needs deep sleep to decide what to retain

Why We Can't Remember Being 2

Researchers investigate the science of early memories

Scientists Show How We Remember Dreams

But they're still not sure about the 'why' part

Stressed Out? You'll Learn Better

Stress hormones alter brain cells, aiding in memory storage

About Us

Site

Newser By Users

Community

Site Maps

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More News

What is Newser?