See, Hon, I Told You All Those Naps Were Necessary

Naps Clear Brain's Inbox, Improve Learning

For years sleep studies have hinted that shut-eye improves our ability to store and consolidate memories, reinforcing the notion that a good night's sleep—and power naps—is much more conducive to learning than an overnight cram session.

Now scientists may have figured out how, in part, this happens: During sleep, information locked in the short-term storage of the hippocampus—the part of the brain responsible for memories—migrates into the longer-term database of the cortex.

This action not only helps the brain process new information, it also clears out space for the brain to take in new experiences.

See, this explains the naps (and why I remember everything better than the Mrs. - even though she says my memory is 'selective').