Sleep and Memory

Sleep May Be Linked With Memory, Study Suggests

Sleep is a very important part of our everyday lives, but it might be even more important than we previously thought. According to researchers at Michigan State University sleep might improve the memories of some people (1). This possible finding was uncovered with a study of 250 people but has some very odd things about it. First, they do not know for sure how the sleep would help memory. Second, the memory might not be able to be proven with any intelligence or aptitude test. However, they believe that it is a different sort of memory that has to do with the brain processing information without awareness.
As we have learned in class memory has been a very puzzling thing for psychologists. It is generally said that the memory is composed of three different kinds of memory: the sensory memory, short-term memory, and long-term memory. There are also different sub groups within the main three memories. This is where I get a little confused. I see the three main memory groupings as standing very firm with the sub-groups as being much more iffy with some wiggle room for improvement. Is this new type of memory that they believe they have found a sub-group or a totally different kind of memory?
If this information is true its application to students would be incredible. Sleep is often lacking, especially with college students. This would mean that schedules and the general way of life would be altered to give more time to sleeping. If sleep can really bust the memory of people this would be a very important study to look into. That is why I feel as if there are still many holes in this study. The article did not say what areas of memory were enhanced along with how this information was measured. There have been many different studies about sleep and memory before and many of these studies have faltered to further research so I am quite skeptical at the moment.

(1) http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/28/sleep-memory-linked_n_983902.html