World Scene: Germany

Naps good for memory

Researchers at the University of Dusseldorf have shown that simply falling asleep can improve recall and mental efficiency. In fact, a six-minute nap can have the same effect as nighttime sleep. Dr Olaf Lahl's team asked students to memorize a list of vocabulary and tested their ability to recall the list after an hour of playing solitaire. Volunteers were asked to remember a list of 30 words and then given an hour's break before the memory test. During the break, some volunteers were allowed to nap for six minutes, while others had to stay awake.