How to study more efficiently

Many people still associate effective study with uninterrupted sessions, but Science advises it. The brain is not designed to absorb large amounts of blow information. You need pauses, sleep, repetitions and active recovery. Because? Because This is how memory works.

During sleep, the brain fixed what has been learned. The hippocampus, key in the formation of memories, internally repeats the information of the day and reinforces the connections between neurons. The deep sleep helps remember concepts and reduces interference, allowing a more precise recovery of what has been learned.

Plasticity in our favor

Every time something new is learned, the brain creates new neuronal connections: it is what is known as neuroplasticity. But those connections are not maintained by themselves. Require significant repetition and active recovery To consolidate. From there arise some of the most effective study techniques:

• Space practice: Distribute the study in time improves retention. Instead of studying five hours in a row, reviewing 15 minutes a day for a week. So The curve of oblivion is foughtwhich shows The fast forgot what is not reviewed.

• Active evocation: It consists of remembering what has been learned without consulting the notes. Ask questions, use flashcards or explain aloud forces the brain to recover information and strengthen memory.

• Feynman technique: Explain a concept As if a child was told. If it is not possible to do it without technicalities, it probably has not been fully understood. This technique favors mental reorganization and deep understanding.

Motivation, the engine that does not fail

Cognitive performance does not depend only on time or the technique used. Factors such as emotions and motivation deeply influence how much and how you learn. When something interests or is perceived as relevant, the brain releases dopamine, a neurotransmitter linked to pleasure and reward. This activation improves memory consolidationespecially in the hippocampo and in the Limbic system – brain structures involved in the integration of emotional and motivational processes with behavior.

This explains why a funny anecdote is better remembered than an abstract definition: emotion acts as a signal that says “this is important, guards it.”

In addition, intrinsic motivation, that desire to learn by self -interest, is associated with greater activity in the prefrontal cortexkey zone in complex thought. People motivated autonomously tend to concentrate more and use better strategies. On the other hand, when the motivation is only external (for example, a qualification), the effort can be sustained in the short term, but it is less likely that what they learned will be consolidated in the long term.

When and how

Individual differences also affect learning. For example, the Cronotype – more productive in the morning or at night – influences performance. Studying during the hours of greater mental energy, sleeping enough and taking adequate breaks are habits that favor memory consolidation.

In addition to when, it matters how. The difficulty of a subject does not depend only on the amount of content, but on how that information is processed. It is not the same to memorize a biography to solve vector algebra, each task requires different mental resources.

The cognitive load

Here the Theory of cognitive burdenwhich explains how the complexity of a task affects learning. The working memory, the one that processes the information in real time, has a limited capacity. When overloading, it costs more to consolidate what learned.

This load can be intrinsic, that is, the complexity inherent to the content. Abstract or technical issues, such as mathematics, require more mental effort. O It can be extrinsic: how information is presented (clarity, structure). There is also the relevant load, which is the mental effort necessary to connect new knowledge with what has already been learned.

When a topic is especially complex, it is convenient to adjust the strategies: divide the information into smaller parts, use concrete examples or space the study. This not only improves understanding, but reduces mental overload and strengthens long -term memory.

The brain needs its time

These strategies are not only useful for students. Teachers can also apply them to design clearer materials, space the reviews, promote active evocation and connect new contents with previous knowledge. The use of mental mapsdebates or games is a Effective way to help brain To learn better.

The brain is a powerful tool, but does not learn well under constant pressure or with ineffective methods. You need time, challenge, emotion and rest. Understanding how it works can transform the way in which it is taught and studied. Because it’s not about studying more, but studying better.

Marta Calderón GarcíaResearcher in cognition, behavior and neurocriminology, Miguel Hernández University

This article was originally published in The conversation. Read the original.