Introduction: Prospective memory (PM) represents our ability to remember to do things in the future and is more prone to forgetting. Successful completion of PM requires retrieval of relevant event or time cues. Research shows that daytime naps effectively help process information that is often easily forgotten.
Purpose: The study investigated the impact of napping on PM across type of cues.
Methods: Participants memorized four letters.The instructions for PM tasks varied between event cue and mixed cue tasks. After memorization, participants either took a 90-minute nap or remained quietly awake in the laboratory. During the nap condition, participants, physiological data was recorded. Following the distraction task, they began the PM target embedded ongoing working memory (WM) task.
Results: Accuracy:Responses were correct when participants pressed the correct key for the PM target in the WM task. Mixed factorial ANOVA was used for analysis. Significant interaction effect between type of PM and nap [F (1, 22) = 6.278, p < 0.05, ηp² = 0.22] was found with mixed PM more benefited by nap. Significant main effect of PM type was also found [F (1, 22) = 6.02, p < 0.05, ηp² = .02]. RT: Significant main effect of nap [F (1, 22) = 8.9, p < 0.05, ηp²= 0.01] suggests that participants responses were quicker after nap (M=0.82 sec) as compared to no-nap (M=1.2 sec). Significant main effect of types of PM [F (1, 22) = 10.08, p < 0.05, ηp²= 0.005] was found indicating that participants were slower to respond in event based PM task (M=1.4 seconds) as compared to mixed PM (M=0.9 sec). Conclusions: Study suggests selective beneficial impact of naps on PM cued by mixed cues. RT analysis supported role of nap in spontaneous retrieval of PM over time.