A new study has found that playing specific sounds during sleep can help individuals forget particular memories.
According to researchers from the University of York, this method could potentially become a technique for dealing with distressing memories in the future. Previous research has suggested that certain sounds during sleep could be used to consolidate specific memories. However, this recent study is the first to provide strong evidence for using this technique to help people forget memories.
Dr. Border Joinson, the lead author of the study, stated that while the research is still in experimental stages, the results increase the possibility of enhancing or diminishing the ability to recall specific memories through auditory cues during sleep. He noted that individuals who have experienced trauma often suffer from distress due to the memories of these events. Although further progress is needed in this research, this discovery could pave the way for new techniques to weaken unwanted memories.
In the study, 29 participants were asked to remember pairs of words related to everyday life, such as hammer-office, hammer-cardi B, and Beckham-bicycle. Previous studies have shown improvements in memory when pairs of words were learned and played during sleep.
