A year ago we downloaded a free app that plays nature soundtracks on a timed loop. The one I use is called White Noise. It changed my life. I used to have difficulty falling asleep and would wake several times a night. Now I go down with ocean waves for 8 hours straight, and look forward to a spa like rejuvenation every time. (Your spouse has to like it too of course). It turns out, it may also be good for an aging memory. Bonus! See, Pink noise synced to brain waves deepens sleep and boosts memory in older adults:
Gentle sound stimulation—such as the rush of a waterfall—synchronized to the rhythm of brain waves significantly enhanced deep sleep in older adults and improved their ability to recall words, reports a new Northwestern Medicine study.
Deep sleep is critical for memory consolidation. But beginning in middle age, deep sleep decreases substantially, which scientists believe contributes to memory loss in aging.
The sound stimulation significantly enhanced deep sleep in participants and their scores on a memory test.
“This is an innovative, simple and safe non-medication approach that may help improve brain health,” said senior author Dr. Phyllis Zee, professor of neurology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and a Northwestern Medicine sleep specialist. “This is a potential tool for enhancing memory in older populations and attenuating normal age-related memory decline.”
The study was published March 8 in Frontiers in Human Neuroscience.
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