Instant Genius Better Sleep: The deep connection between sleep and memory
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Jun 8, 2025 Dr. Alessio Delogu, a neurobiologist at King’s College London, dives into the fascinating bond between sleep and memory. He explains how our brains encode memories during sleep and how lack of sleep can impair learning. The discussion highlights the critical role of REM sleep in consolidating emotional and procedural memories. Delogu also offers practical tips for improving sleep quality, emphasizing its importance for maintaining sharp memory and cognitive function as we age.
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Synapses Encode Memories
- Memories are encoded at the synapses, where neurons contact each other to transfer information.
- The plasticity of synapses, their ability to strengthen, weaken, form or disappear, is crucial for memory encoding.
Memory Types Use Different Brain Areas
- Different types of memories use different brain regions for encoding and retrieval.
- Episodic and semantic memories rely on the hippocampus, while procedural memory involves the motor cortex and cerebellum.
Sleep Cycles and Brain Activity
- Sleep is a cyclic process involving non-REM and REM phases, lasting about 90 minutes per cycle.
- EEG measurements of electrical brain activity reveal different patterns corresponding to these sleep stages.