A group of Italian researchers has discovered an easy trick to sleep better and wake up more energetic and active
March 15, 2023
– Milan
A good sleep it is recognized the next day: if we feel awake and energetic, it is likely that we slept well. However, this is not always the case: stress, aging and some conditions can prevent us from having a regenerating sleep. The good news? A group of researchers, including Italians Vivian Greco, Damian Bergamo And Paula Cuocciofound that there is actually an easy way to improve the quality of sleep…
The scientific trick to sleep better
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According to what they write about scientific magazine Sleepblocking out ambient light almost completely when we sleep can improve alertness and memory the following day. And to do it just wear a sleep mask. “Ambient light can influence sleep pattern and timing,” the researchers write. “We’ve seen how wearing an eye mask to block out light while sleeping at night affects memory and alertness, which could benefit daily activities like studying and driving.”
Sleeping with a mask: the study
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Researchers have conducted two experiments involving 122 participants. In the first, 89 adults aged 18 to 35 were asked to wear an eye mask while they slept for one week, and then a mask with holes for the following week. Lab tests performed on the last two days of each week showed that participants performed better on the word-pair association test, which assesses the ability to remember events and experiences, after completely covering their eyes during sleep. A similar improvement was also seen in tests measuring their reaction times.
Sleep mask: the benefits on memory
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In the second experiment, 33 adult volunteers aged between 18 and 35 were fitted with eye masks, devices to detect the intensity of light upon awakening and a wearable headband to monitor brain activity during sleep. Participants slept in both a regular and a perforated eye mask, and then underwent tests. Again, the results showed that those who wore a normal mask, without holes, learned new information and remembered better than the others. Additionally, data collected from the brain fascia indicate an association between sleep mask use and increased slow-wave sleep, which is critical for boosting memory. “Memory benefit was predicted by time spent in slow-wave sleep while wearing the mask,” the researchers explain. “This suggests that wearing an eye mask when we sleep is an effective, economical and non-invasive behavior that could benefit cognitive function and have a measurable impact on everyday life.”
Conclusions
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The link between sleep and well-being is now well established: sleeping well allows us to maintain good health, affects the processing of emotions in the brain and also affects the way we socialize with others. The study published in Sleep shows that the use of a sleep mask could bring various benefits to our rest. The researchers write: “Given the great attention to lifehackingto sleep tracking and ways to boost cognition, our findings suggest that an eye mask all in all is a simple, inexpensive and non-invasive way to get more out of a night’s sleep.”
March 15, 2023 – 08:50
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