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

[Dien Rice]

Imagine if you could effectively learn in your sleep...

You could instantly multiply your "learning capacity".

There's a friend of mine who learned how to speak the Korean language in a very short time (he's an American). He used a bit of "sleep learning"... Did it help him? I think it probably did...

He was very focused on learning Korean. He had a string of Korean girlfriends, who he persuaded to read out Korean words to him (numbers, common phrases, etc.) while he tape recorded them speaking. He would listen to these recordings as he fell to sleep.

He also got Korean movies. He'd watch them in the day, of course, but he'd also play them late at night while dozing off, so he'd also be listening while he was asleep.

At the same time, he was also taking Korean classes. However, he was a quick learner. I'm convinced his "sleep-time" activities helped him learn the language more rapidly than he would have otherwise. Nowadays, he's practically fluent in the language.

There's now evidence now that you can improve your learning while you sleep...

In one experiment, they showed pictures on a part of the computer screen, while playing an appropriate sound. (E.g. they might show a cat in the top right hand corner, while playing a "meow" sound. Then, they might show a drum in the bottom left hand corner, while playing a drumming sound.)

Then, they had participants take a nap. While they were napping, they played half of the sounds. They didn't play the other half.

They then woke them up. They found that the pictures for which they had played the sounds, the participants remembered better the location of where that picture was on the screen.

To double-check, they did the same experiment again - except this time, the participants did not sleep, but stayed awake during the second playing of half of the sounds. When participants were awake, there was no improvement.

Listening to the sounds - while they were asleep - was the key!

You can read more about these and similar experiments in the following articles...

http://www.cosmosmagazine.com/news/3...ry-study-finds

http://www.newscientist.com/article/...html?full=true

I wonder if you can use this to improve various aspects of your life? I'm now wondering if it could be a good idea to fall asleep listening to educational audio books... It couldn't hurt, I figure... I think I'll give it a try...

What do you think? Does it sound plausible, or is it just a waste of time?

Any other ideas for "sleep learning"?

- Dien

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

I got curious enough to see if the name had been taken.

It was taken in 2001 -- here's the site... http://sleeplearning.com/

-- TW

[Dien Rice]

Originally Posted by Sandi Bowman

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.

Hi Sandi,

Thanks for sharing that... It sounds like very good advice. Clearly, you've tried this out yourself... Thanks for sharing some of what you found out!

This is actually quite new to me...

I did a bit more searching online... It seems the idea isn't new.

Apparently - many years ago - a guy named Max Sherover created a "sleep learning" machine (which he called a "cerebrograph"). He basically combined a record player, a clock, and a "pillow microphone"....

I don't know if it was commercially successful, but he apparently had some success with using it himself and with helping his kids memorize things.

Here's an interesting article about it from Time magazine (from 1948!) -

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/ar...855919,00.html

It seems to me that back then, it would have been harder to do with the technology they had. For example, one side of an LP record is only 20-30 minutes long - and if you're asleep, you can't turn it over or change the record.

However, with current technology (e.g. MP3 players, iPods, or computers playing digital audio), this short play-time is no longer a constraint...

"Learning while you sleep" might be an idea where we just had to wait for the technology to "catch up" - so we could put it to best use!

Fascinating... Thanks, Sandi!

Best wishes,

Dien

[Dien Rice]

Originally Posted by -TW

I got curious enough to see if the name had been taken.

It was taken in 2001 -- here's the site... http://sleeplearning.com/

Thanks TW...

It's interesting that whole businesses have been built around this!

Of course, just because there is one there already, doesn't mean it isn't also an opportunity...

Harvey Brody likes to see how he can create "toll positions" when he first starts a business. A "toll position" is anything that stops someone from competing directly with you, or copying you. (Some toll positions are stronger than others...)

If there are no toll positions, he looks for a different business idea...

A good domain name, I would say, is definitely a kind of "toll position". it's even stronger if it's trademarked too...

If you created your own audios (or had someone else create them, but you own the exclusive rights) - that's another strong toll position too (due to copyright protection)...

However, if you're just selling someone else's products (which you don't have exclusive rights to) - there's no toll position in that, since anyone can easily copy you, and sell the same thing...

I think it's a good exercise to examine existing businesses - and try to recognize their toll positions (or lack of them)... Some very successful businesses have extremely strong toll positions (as you'll recognize when you think of it). On the other hand, many "small business" people have very weak toll positions - which is probably one reason why they remain relatively small...

Best wishes,

Dien

Dien,

Your friend learnt Korean Faster because he Immersed himself in the language and took an Active role in it. What really went on in his brain is... he learnt some stuff THEN his subconscious got to Utilize it, store it, associate things with it, whatever.

For example... say you want to learn a new skill. Say guitar or playing squash or whatever. If you try to nut it out for hours on end, you will pick up some but not much. BUT, if you break your learning into smaller lots, even if the hours total the same you will have learned it much more intrinsically.

You will be able to play more guitar after 8 one hour sessions than if you try to do eight hours in one go. You will be a better squash player if you play 30-60 minutes every three days for a few weeks, than if you try to play six hours or so in one go.

WHY... your subcon can Process the new inputs and build its Auto pathways while you sleep.

Same with language...

Flip through a stack of flash cards every few days. Translate an article from Korean to English or Visa Versa once or twice a week. Etc. These Small bit-size inputs work marvels. And when you sleep, your Subcon Cements them into place.

So while it Seemed he learned while he slept, he didn't. All the INput happened while he was awake, it was processed and stored while he slept.

Michael Ross

Michael, if your theories were true, how do you explain some folks learning new information to be able to pass exams on a subject they knew nothing about without ever attending class, cracking a book about it or even mentioning the subject to anyone else except to buy the recording or asking someone to get the book and record it for them without the subject being present?

The above isn't theory...it actually happens and has been tested by the military and other researchers.

Sandi Bowman

Yeah, maybe, a little subconscious learning here and there, but by and large I would posit that you can learn a lot more by listening to audiobooks, language lessons, educational materials, etc when you're awake.
When you respond "of course I can learn more when I'm awake, but I don't have any more waking time available."
Yes you do. Every time you work out, and every time you're in your car, you could be listening to educational materials. It just takes more discipline than you probably have.
Get disciplined and learn, d@mmit!
Cheers,

_______________________
Brian
Rental Agreement Forms

Hmmm... so what I say applies to EVERYONE. But you'll discard it as Theories and latch on to something you say Some Folks have done.

So someone buys an Audio Book on the subject and passes a test. Your point is?

My friend got his law degree without ever attending class or cracking open course books.

I passed my theory on my truck driving test without ever cracking a book on the theory of truck driving or buying an audio on it or seeing the test in advance or being given the answers by someone in advance. Does that make me psychic?

Michael Ross

There's obviously a miscommunication here but, so what. Re-read what I actually wrote, not what you want to misunderstand to start a needless, pointless, debate. Facts are facts and, no, I'm not going to waste my time looking them up for you.

Have a nice holiday.

Sandi