Need to learn something? Take a nap.

This article references some fascinating work on how the conscious and subconscious mind work at the tasks of learning and decision-making. I found this quote especially interesting:

"People often make better shopping decisions, at least when it comes to complex products, when they rely on their unconscious brain. Instead of consciously analyzing all of their options, consumers were most effective when they practiced "deliberation without attention," and let their unconscious brain digest the information while they were busy doing something else, like watching television or sleeping."

Ap Dijksterhuis, the researcher who published his work last year in Science magazine, summarizes the implications of his research:

"Use your conscious mind to acquire all the information you need for making a decision--but don't try to analyze the information. Instead, go on holiday while your unconscious mind digests it for a day or two. Whatever your intuition then tells you is almost certainly going to be the best choice."