Swiss researchers have discovered that it is possible to learn while sleeping, as long as the right sleep phase is targeted. In a groundbreaking study, the researchers found that the human brain is capable of unconsciously absorbing complex information, such as words and meanings, during deep sleep and then recalling it in the waking state. The study, published in the journal Current Biology, has been hailed as a new dimension in understanding sleep. The researchers played made-up words with assigned meanings, such as “Guga” for elephant, to 41 participants during the up-state phase of deep sleep. After waking up, the participants were asked questions about the words, and they were able to correctly associate them with their meanings 60% of the time.
The researchers, led by psychology professor Katharina Henke, emphasized that it was crucial to play the sounds during the up-state phase, when all brain cells are active. The participants’ sleep phases were monitored using an EEG device to ensure that the sounds were played at the right time. The study highlights the importance of sleep for learning processes, as it was previously known that sleep contributes to consolidating already learned information. However, this study shows that associations can also occur unconsciously during deep sleep.
While the study is groundbreaking, the researchers caution against using it as a recommendation to listen to information while sleeping, as it is not yet known if there could be unintended consequences, such as mixing up information. The study underscores the importance of sleep for learning and consolidating information, and opens up new avenues for research into the potential of sleep for learning.
