To Sleep, Perchace to . . . Learn?

Think about nap-time in kindergarten, and the little cat naps you always want to take when you study. There's new research that suggests you should go ahead and nap, if you're attempting to memorize, that is.  But if you're studying a new piece of music, you need Stage 2 sleep, the kind that occurs in the second half of the night - which might explain why great musicians tend to be nightowls.  

Here's a link to a report about a series of recent studies on sleep and learning that I found fascinating.  Basically, all the stages of sleep that we go through seem to play a part in processing certain types of learning.  So, a good night's sleep that includes all of these stages is essential.

Maybe these studies will help put nap-time back into early education.  What do you think?

The article is from the New York Times, so you might need to sign up for a free membership to view it.