Nap for Success

04/27/2010

It is quite true what philosophy says that life must be understood backwards. But above that, one forgets the second sentence, that it must be lived forward.
Søren Kierkegaard, Philosopher, 1813-1855

"Napping after learning something new could help you commit it to memory — as long as you dream."

This news was reported in a BBC News story, "Dreams 'can help with learning'." The story reported on the research of Dr. Robert Stickgold of Harvard Medical School. He found that...

"...people who dream about a new task perform it better on waking than those who do not sleep or do not dream. Volunteers were asked to learn the layout of a 3D computer maze so they could find their way within the virtual space several hours later. Those allowed to take a nap and who also remembered dreaming of the task, found their way to a landmark quicker. The researchers think the dreams are a sign that unconscious parts of the brain are working hard to process information about the task. Stickgold observed, "The dreams might reflect the brain's attempt to find associations for the memories that could make them more useful in the future."

Another researcher involved in the study, Dr Erin Wamsley, said the study suggests our non-conscious brain works on the things that it deems are most important. "Every day we are gathering and encountering tremendous amounts of information and new experiences," she said. "It would seem that our dreams are asking the question, 'How do I use this information to inform my life?'"

David Elkind on the Power of Play

In his fascinating book, The Power of Play: How Spontaneous, Imaginative Activities Lead to Happier, Healthier Children, David Elkind argues that "Play is being silenced." According to Elkind, important, unstructured play is too often replaced in modern times by organized activities, academics, or passive leisure activities such as watching television and playing video games. With clarity and insight, Elkind calls for society to bring back long recesses, encourage imagination and let children develop their minds at a natural pace.

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