A common question with interleaving is when to switch between topics. Simply put, if you were to study for 6 hours straight on a singular topic, you wouldn't attain the benefits of interleaving. Conversely, if you were to study for only 6 minutes before moving on to the next topic, you wouldn't be able to get into a proper flow state.
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The optimal time to switch will depend on the individual and I encourage you to experiment in order to discover one that works for you. However, I recognize the desire for a starting point, so based on my personal experience, I will provide you with a range to consider for your testing.
The infamous Pomodoro technique which has helped millions of students like you for decades encourages 25 minutes of focused work. Although some students will increase that duration to get into a/oiv state, rarely do students ever decrease it.
Therefore, 25 minutes seems to be a reasonable lower limit to experiment with.
Moreover, our bodies operate on 90-minute ultradian rhythms, which are observed in a multitude of physiological processes such as the sleep cycle, hormone release, brain activity, and the body's natural rest-activity patterns. These processes have all been shown to be connected with memory consolidation. Therefore, 90 minutes seems to be a reasonable upper limit to experiment with.
Try durations within these two bounds and decide on your optimal time to switch.
Principle Four: Optimized Breaks
Defining Optimized Breaks
lf 1 were learning how to shoot a basketball, the particular parts of my brain involved in hand-eye coordination, depth perception, and balance would be engaged. The more I actively focus on the practice, the more a neurotransmitter called acetylcholine is generated.
One of acetylcholine's functions is to mark the neurons in those engaged parts of my brain as potentially strengthening later. However, the actual rewiring of those neurons happens in states of deep relaxation. Typically, this will happen while you're asleep the night after you learn.
This is partly why all-nighters before exams are incredibly inefficient. When you cram, acetylcholine is generated and marks those neurons, however, you are unable to rewire those connections which is necessary for memory consolidation.
Therefore, you likely will struggle with questions on the exam that require critical thinking, and immediately forget the information once you disengage your focus after the exam.
However, the importance of sleeping at night seems to be intuitive for most students, so I won't focus too much on that for this guide.
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The more interesting research centers around the use of naps and non-sleep deep rest protocols followin periods of deep focus. These practices have been shown to activate the replay of neurons, similar to the neural replays observed during sleep. Additionally, incorporating random micro gaps within deep focus sessions has demonstrated the ability to induce accelerated neural replays.
The activation of neural replays through these three applications provides opportunities for the brain to reinforce and strengthen the connections between neurons, facilitating the encoding of information into long-term memory. Ultimately, the optimization of these breaks can lead to more efficient learning and increase the effectiveness of your study sessions.