Sleep 'clears brain to make space for new information'

REGULAR naps and early nights may not be the hallmarks of a wild social life, but they are the smartest lifestyle choice.

Enjoying plenty of sleep – and even nodding off for an hour or two – boosts brain power dramatically, according to scientists. On the other hand, the more hours people spend awake, the more sluggish their minds become, evidence shows.

The findings may even indicate a link between older people sleeping less and suffering "senior moment" memory lapses.

New research by a team of US experts shows that memories are "downloaded" in the brain during a specific phase of sleep.

Scientists believe sleep is needed to clear the brain's short-term memory storage and make space for new information.

"Sleep not only rights the wrong of prolonged wakefulness, but at a neurocognitive level, it moves you beyond where you were before you took a nap," said lead researcher Dr Matthew Walker, from the University of California at Berkeley.

"I can't imagine Mother Nature would have us spend 50 per cent of the night going from one sleep stage to another for no reason. Sleep is sophisticated."

His team are now investigating whether the reduced sleep associated with getting older relates to age-related learning deficiencies. Such a link could help to shed light on neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, Dr Walker believes.