Can you really get smarter in your sleep? The answer is...

The answer is definitely yes...with some qualifiers.

It depends upon the topic but, generally, things recorded in your own voice are accepted more readily by the subconscious during sleep. This works especially well for those things like your own self-talk that you do without notice during the day. If you want to UNdo all those 'oh, stupid!' or 'what the 'ell was I thinking?' and other put-down messages you silently tell yourself without realizing the impact they have on your mind, then your own voice is great. For learning things others would ordinarily teach you, any voice that you find comfortable to listen to will suffice.

It works best when you first retire and fall fully asleep in my experience (note the fully asleep). If this is the only playing of it for the night, try to avoid REM sleep mode by doing the listening early on. If it is to play an endless loop all night long, then ignore the REM sleep mode and just sleep and learn as your body will be accustomed to the sound and it will not disrupt your REM sleep as long as no one slams a book or door shut in the middle of it. The body tends to incorporate in some way UNEXPECTED external sounds, lights, and events that happen during REM sleep.
FYI: disallowing REM sleep for an extended period of time is never a good idea.

Interesting topic, Dien.

Sandi Bowman