Learning while sleeping: is this really a thing?

The key points

• While we sleep, our brain screens and processes the sensory input and events we experienced during the day. This information then enters our long-term memory during the deep sleep phase.

• Studying something immediately before going to sleep means we remember it better – especially if we get enough quality sleep afterwards.

• Novel information such as new vocabulary cannot be learned completely unconsciously; however, we are able to passively associate new stimuli such as sounds or scents while we sleep.

How deep sleep solidifies what you learn during the day

During the day, we are like super-absorbent sponges: we see, smell, feel, hear, experience – and store all this sensory input in our short-term memory. However, in order for the most important experiences and information to remain anchored in the long-term memory, one thing is needed above all: sleep – or, more precisely, deep sleep.

During deep sleep, the sensory input gathered during the day is played back by the brain (or more precisely, by the hippocampus) in order to sort, filter and link it. Scientists refer to this as ‘memory replay’. This new, unconscious experience allows the most important information to be transferred more effectively into the long-term memory – this, in turn, is referred to as ‘consolidation’.

But how does this information help us to better understand the process of learning while sleeping? Allow us to explain.

Studying before bed helps you to remember better

All you want to do in the evening is lie on the sofa and watch your favourite TV show? We can relate. However, if you’re currently in the process of learning something new, it’s best to use the evening to do so. This means that fresh information can be processed quickly and, as a result, especially efficiently, while you sleep, regardless of whether it’s vocabulary, a particular motion required for a sport or playing a melody on a musical instrument.

Those who study before going to sleep and sleep well afterwards will be able to remember what they have learned much better the next day. For this to work, however, it’s not just the timing of the study that counts, but also optimal sleep quality – and along with a dark, quiet room that has a comfortable temperature, the right sleepwear can contribute to this.

At CALIDA, you’ll find a huge selection of soft, breathable fabrics such as TENCEL™ and cotton. These materials help your body fall asleep and stay asleep, creating the perfect basis for storing information particularly efficiently during deep sleep.

Subconsciously learning while sleeping: the latest findings

Can you learn a new language or a complicated dance routine in your sleep? It’s not that easy – but it’s not impossible. According to recent studies, the brain can actually register, absorb and process external acoustic stimuli during sleep, though only under certain conditions. Researchers discovered that when familiar words or sounds are heard again during deep sleep, it helps people to remember them.

From sports to foreign languages: can you learn new things while you sleep?

But what’s even more fascinating is that while we sleep, our brain can also register unfamiliar things and create new connections without us noticing it. For example, study participants were repeatedly played a certain sound at the same time as they were introduced to a fragrance or a word while asleep. The next morning, participants were usually able to correctly link the two stimuli.

Our brain therefore remains passively receptive even during sleep – at least for simple stimuli. Music, noises and snippets of speech can be played with headphones and stored in the brain while sleeping. However, only those who get enough deep sleep and REM sleep give the brain the opportunity to consolidate information in this manner.

Conclusion

Learning while sleeping? Science says it can be done, but with some limitations. It has been proven that you can improve your memory and recall by studying before going to bed and then giving your body plenty of quality rest.

So if you combine evening study with a conscious routine, you can improve the quality of your sleep and actually ‘learn while sleeping’ or solidify what you have learned. We recommend wearing comfortable, breathable sleepwear, avoiding digital stimuli before going to sleep and, if necessary, listening to soft music or educational content via your headphones.

Although you won’t be able to simply learn new things in your dreams with these methods, you can improve the effectiveness of your study in the long term. And who knows what science will bring: perhaps we will soon be able to learn new languages or sports in our sleep after all.