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Our memories, especially our positive ones, play important roles in personality formation and decision making. People who recall happy, positive memories tend to be happier and more positive people. A bedtime practice of looking back on joyful experiences in your life can also boost life satisfaction, according to a blog post on Psychology Today.
Now, a groundbreaking study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences suggests that one day, it may be possible to replace bad memories with good ones, simply by sleeping on them. This research could open the door to new possibilities for improving mental well-being and reshaping how we experience memories.
How Bad Memories May be Replaced
In a recent study 37 participants were asked to memorize a list of random words paired with negative images, Science Alert reported. Participants had a full night’s sleep and returned the next day to continue the study.
On day two, researchers paired half of the random words with positive images. Participants were again asked to memorize the words and images. That night, as participants slept, researchers played a recording of the words during the non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep phase, which is known to play an important role in memory storage. They also measured the brain activity of participants using an EEG. Data showed that brain activity associated with emotional memory processing was significantly higher in response to the positive word associations.
Participants then completed questionnaires about their memories. Researchers found that those who took part in the study were more likely to remember the positive images associated with the words, rather than the negative ones.
Unlocking Future Treatments for Mental Health
The study demonstrated that the brain can weaken negative memories by reactivating positive ones. However, the research has limitations, and it’s unclear if such an approach would be as effective for traumatic experiences as it is for merely negative pictures, reported Fast Company. Still, researchers hope that findings from the initial study will open the door for treating traumatic memories.
Traumatic memories are associated with PTSD, flashbacks, and a number of other mental health challenges. However, positive memories are associated with better health and happiness, according to Psychology Today. Perhaps one day, in the not-so-distant future, mental health professionals will be able to guide individuals to turn their traumatic memories into a brighter future just by sleeping on them.
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