Could a new trick for enhancing one’s memory change the way students study for tests? It’s possible.

Researchers reporting in the journal Neuron say they have discovered the secret to enhanced memory. They found that listening to sounds while sleeping could better one’s memory. Not only could their finding impact students, but it could also change the way that doctors try to improve memory and sleep in their patients.

According to researchers from the University of Tübingen, previous studies have shown that memory retention takes place when brain waves are producing a slow oscillating rhythm. This study suggests that listening to sounds that are in sync with this rhythm can improve memory and increase the oscillations.

In the future, co-author Jan Born says that the finding will allow doctors to amplify slow brain oscillations for patients using auditory stimulation at low intensities.

For the study, Born and his team studied 11 healthy students who slept at the sleep lab for two nights. During their time at the sleep lab, the researchers observed how the students responded to sound stimulations or sham stimulations.

The researchers discovered that the students had the easiest time recalling word associations after being exposed to stimulating sounds that were in sync with the rhythm of slow brain oscillations. However, auditory stimulations out of sync with these oscillations failed to have the same impact.

In addition to augmenting the oscillations and enhancing memory, the researchers theorize that auditory stimulations could also improve the brain rhythms linked to the regulation of attention.

According to Discovery, their are several other ways to improve your memory. The method of loci, for example, comes from Ancient Greece. A poet named Simonides was able to identify the dead for their families after a building collapse because he could associate these people’s names with a place or location. This memory trick become known as the method of loci.

Will this study change the way you prepare for school or work tests? Sound off in the comments section.