Scented naps can dissipate fears

People unlearned an odor's unpleasant accompaniment when they smelled it in their sleep

sleeping girl
SLEEPING OFF FEAR In the sleeping brain, re-experiencing aspects of an unpleasant event weakens a fearful memory, a new study suggests.

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A nap can ease the burden of a painful memory. While fast asleep, people learned that a previously scary situation was no longer threatening, scientists report September 22 in Nature Neuroscience.