Sleep and learning

Learning translates at the cerebral level into the formation of new synaptic connections between neurons. This synaptic plasticity is particularly important during childhood, when it is associated with major brain development through to maturity. Sleep, whose physiological characteristics change with age, plays a fundamental role in these processes of brain plasticity and maturation. In addition to overall cerebral development, sleep enables us to consolidate the learning acquired during the day, night after night. It is the basis of long-term memory, implicit learning, the ability to abstract and generalize knowledge, and the proper functioning of executive functions. Insufficient sleep, nap deprivation or a shift in sleep-wake rhythms can all have a deleterious effect on a child's learning.