"Our research shows that memory is strengthened for something you've already learned," the study's co-author, Paul Reber, associate professor of psychology at Northwestern, said in a university news release. "Rather than learning something new in your sleep, we're talking about enhancing an existing memory by reactivating information recently acquired."
Researchers conducting the study taught participants how to play two musical tunes by pressing certain keys at certain times. Participants then took a 90-minute nap. While they slept, only one of the songs was played. After they woke up, the participants made fewer mistakes when playing the tune that was played while they were sleeping than the one that was not played. This, researchers say, shows that external stimulation during sleep can influence a complex skill
The researchers said they are investigating how their findings could possibly be applied to other types of learning, such as studying a foreign language, Health24 reports.
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