Revealed: The secret to a good night's sleep
Researchers have found that falling asleep to certain kinds of noise, can not only improve the quality of rest, but also your memory.
American experts tested so called "pink noise" on those aged in their 80s and say it could now benefit people of all ages.
Some people find "white noise", like howling wind or static from a TV helps them doze off.
So-called "pink noise", like the sound of a waterfall, is a little gentler than its more well-known cousin and also drowns out sounds which can interrupt our slumber.
But researchers from Northwestern University in the US believe it's doing much more.
"We can use these very simple, natural sounds in sleep and be able to increase the amount of deep sleep which then can also increase memory formation," sleep researcher Phyllis Zee said.
Deep sleep is when the body grows and repairs itself.
Babies spend 40 per cent of their time in this stage, but those in their 80s are getting just 5 per cent deep sleep.
Christine Long, 85, was one of 60 study participants.
She said she was interested in keeping her memory and staying sharp.
Dr Zee said researchers are interested in stopping the brain from ageing.
In the study hort bursts of pink noise were used at precise points in her sleep cycle.
The next day, memory tests showed a 20 percent improvement.
Researchers believe better quality sleep could be an important key in slowing down brain ageing.
Studies are also underway to see if pink noise could help patients of all ages who suffer from memory impairments.
