Spacing out for a bit can boost your memory

Next time you zone out when your girlfriend is talking to you, just tell her you wanted to remember what she was saying longer. Wakeful resting--or zoning out--after learning something new can boost your memory, according to a study published in Psychological Science.

In the study, researchers told two short stories to 33 people. After one story, the participants sat in a room with their eyes closed. After the second story, they played a computer game. Seven days later, the people who zoned out were able to recall more of the story details. After learning something new, your brain automatically replays the information to form a new memory. But learning something new interferes with this process, the study explains.

http://bodyodd.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/08/22/13400970-spacing-out-for-a-bit-can-boost-your-memory