Daytime sleep reboots the brain and helps you learn faster

Our brain is constantly working: new impressions and thoughts strengthen the connections between cells called synapses. Over time, these connections become too strong and saturated, which causes the ability to remember something new to plummet – the hard drive overflows. Sleep solves this problem by easing unnecessary tension, but preserving important data.

Professor Christoph Nissen calls this synaptic reset. A short rest clears the space for new memories, allowing a person to think clearly again and concentrate on tasks.

A group of 20 healthy volunteers participated in tests where some slept during the day and others stayed awake. Since it is impossible to look inside a living brain directly, the specialists used transcranial magnetic stimulation and EEG. These methods allowed us to evaluate the flexibility of neural connections without surgical intervention.

The results were unequivocal: after sleep, the overall excitability of synapses decreased. This is a clear sign of recovery. At the same time, the brain’s ability to build new routes increased significantly compared to those who did not sleep. A rested head was ready to absorb knowledge much more effectively.

The biological explanation of the benefits of siesta opens up new perspectives for people in difficult professions. Musicians, athletes, and dispatchers who require extreme concentration should include a quiet hour in their schedule to maintain peak productivity.

However, the authors warn that if you have chronic insomnia, you should not immediately take sleeping pills. Pills can disrupt the natural recovery processes that are so important for memory and cause addiction. In such cases, cognitive behavioral therapy helps better, which establishes a regime without chemicals.