By Ashley Insalaco, Men's HealthNext 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.
Your move: When you learn something new, close your eyes and take a break. You can review what you just learned, think about what you're having for lunch, or replay the events of last night's date--just don't take in any new information. For more ways to improve your memory, check out these 27 Ways to Power Up Your Brain.