Wakeful resting enhances memory for stories

Abstract

Much research on memory consolidation has focused on neuronal changes that take place during sleep. Recent research, however, has shifted this attention to consolidation processes that also occur during wakeful resting states, a state absent of goal-directed activities and where individuals are instructed to stay passive. Specifically, research has pointed to possible mechanisms, such as the default mode network (DMN), which are activated during wakeful resting states and aid in memory consolidation. This study investigated the relationship between wakeful resting states and subsequent test performances of Singapore undergraduates. Subjects were assigned to either a wakeful resting condition or an alternative condition of task engagement during which they had to play a video game. Results showed that those assigned to the wakeful resting condition scored significantly higher than those who were in the task engagement condition in a subsequent test. This study thus supports emerging research on the beneficial effect that wakeful resting states have on subsequent test performances, and could hence also contribute to the development of more effective study habits among Singapore undergraduates.