Okay… we have to start with a neurophysiological explanation of how learning and memory formation occurs. I know it comes off sort of dull, but like with everything in physical therapy, we must start with the basics! Bear with me…
- Learning and memory formation require specific molecular events and changes to occur at the synapse.
- Changes in electrical activity results in activation of second messengers, which modify synaptic proteins.
- Through the process of long-term potentiation, synaptic transmission is strengthened by modification of existing postsynaptic receptors and insertion of new receptors.
- This increases the effectiveness of the synapses and functions to create associations between inputs that fire together.
- In order for these temporary changes to become permanent, proteins must be synthesized to assemble new synapses.
- This long-term mechanism is necessary for memory consolidation, and it is clearly a process that requires time.
How Does Sleep work?
Sleep provides the time necessary for memory consolidation. Sleep allows for the processing of memories and problem solving. When we get a good nights sleep, we are more likely to figure out a simpler method for solving a problem. Sleep allows time for the brain to process and understand memories in order to effectively utilize learned information.
Without sleep, long-term potentiation may be affected. Sleep provides the brain an opportunity to rehearse tasks and review new information by reactivating patterns of neural activity. This reactivation may assist processes, such as long-term potentiation, that strengthen memories. The reactivation of neural activity that occurs during sleep may also be useful for analyzing new memories in order to improve performance.
During sleep rehearsal, the brain is focusing on the most difficult aspects of tasks by recruiting different brain areas. Different areas of the brain are activated when performing a task after sleep. The brain rehearses the harder aspects of the task during sleep and recruits the most effective brain areas for greater success in task completion. Specifically, there is more activation of the primary motor cortex, medial prefrontal lobe, hippocampus, and cerebellum. These areas are involved in movement and memory! The medial prefrontal cortex is involved with working memory for problem solving and the planning of behavior. This area assists in motor planning and the increased activation after sleep may account for the increase in performance speed in the sequences that were initially the most difficult.
Sleep is necessary for high performance. Ensuring regular amounts of sleep appears to be most crucial for tasks that involve critical thinking and problem solving. Everyone will see improved performance with adequate amounts of sleep.
Okay... and What about Meditation?
Don’t hold your breath… (that’s a bad meditation joke…) BUT it is possible that similar beneficial qualities may also be gained during other activities. Theses advances may take place in the brain at times other than during sleep.
If what the brain needs to analyze and process information is a reduction in external stimulation, could activities other than sleep that provide this be just as effective? Could it be beneficial to engage in mediation techniques to allow brain time and space to assess learned information?
Sleep improves task performance, but significant improvements are still possible when the brain is just afforded time to process information after learning. Adequate sleep is necessary, but information processing and memory consolidation are still occurring without it.
Factoring in enough time to process information and solidify memories while awake may be satisfactory for us in learning new information. We can take advantage of cramming techniques to effectively pass exams as long as time is set aside for memory consolidation to occur.
Meditation studies have shown that individuals with no prior meditation experience demonstrated improved performance on a task after meditation. With the other groups, there was a decline in performance when they actually slept or did another activity.
The sleep patterns of highly experienced meditators had significantly shorter nighttime sleep durations than non-meditators, yet did not display any evidence of sleep debt. The restorative benefits of meditation may mimic those of sleep, reducing the need for experienced meditators to sleep for an extended period of time. Meditation can function similarly to sleep and provide improvements in short-term performance!
So, What's the takeaway?
Meditation offers a reduction in external stimulation and generates brain wave states similar to those achieved during sleep. Improvements in task performance have been observed in even novice meditators. So actually practicing the techniques may yield even greater increases in cognitive functioning.
Since brain waves are the root of memory integration, achieving similar brain waves during other activities, such as meditation, can produce comparable results. Based on current research, sleep is necessary for proper functioning and optimal task performance. And meditation serves as a tool to achieve additional benefit in memory and learning.