Do periods of rest improve learning?
Many of us believe we have an optimal learning time during the day when memory is at its sharpest.
We think this peaks for some people in the morning, others in the afternoon, and still others in the evening.
How about during a break with relaxing music and a cup of tea? Can spending some time chilling be good for your brain?
Massachusetts Institute of Technology neuroscientist David Foster has found that interrupting learning activities with periods of rest or distraction can actually prime memory to work more efficiently.
Yoga, meditation, daydreaming, or even checking email increases the memory cementing capacity of the brain’s hippocampus. During a learning activity, neurons in the hippocampus fire, locate preferred places, and replay in a mapping sequence each time the activity is repeated.
Foster and his colleagues gave research rats routine breaks while they explored unfamiliar areas on a track. Neural activity in the hippocampus was monitored during the routine breaks. The researchers claim that during the breaks, a rat’s mapping sequence replayed in reverse and at a rate 20 times faster.
Foster’s research supports previous findings that intense “cramming” sessions are only futile. This bit of news might be helpful to students looking for advice on developing study habits.
The research suggests short study sessions of 30 minute intervals spaced over a longer period of time. Or encourage students to take 15 minute breaks for every 50 minutes of study.