Study proves why sleeping before exams can improve results.

Are you habitual to waking all night just before exams? You might be willing to change your habit as new research has revealed that sleep before the exam night is very crucial as it helps in long lasting memories.

According to the researchers from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, sleeping triggers synapses in our brain to both strengthen and weaken, which initiates the forgetting, strengthening or modification of our memories in a process known as long-term potentiation (LTP). Synapses are junction between the terminal of a neuron and either another neuron or a muscle or gland cell, over which nerve impulses pass.

In the study, scientists found that sleep before exam night can have significant effect depending on whether LTP is present or not. Researchers say that lack of LTP can cause memory loss while its presence can strengthen the memory, also it can trigger the emergence of new one.

Thus, taking a good night rest might be more profitable than waking up whole night and study in last hours, as it triggers LTP which helps in longer retaining power and which might eventually help you in getting better outcomes.

The study gives a new in insight in better understanding the mechanisms underlying the complex role of sleep for learning, which involves selective remembering and creativity