What mistakes beginners make to learn English. What is the best time for our memory to work? What time of day is best to study?

The better the brain works, the easier it is for a person to remember the necessary information. Quite a long time ago, people came up with the idea of ​​dividing everyone into “owls” and “larks”, and for good reason. Indeed, someone thinks much better in the morning hours, and someone simply does not manage to wake up completely early in the morning: the brain is still sleeping, and attempts to remember or memorize something do not lead to anything.

However, determining whether you are an owl or a lark is much more difficult than it seems. Experts note that in modern cities, most people consider themselves owls, the lifestyle forces them to think so, while in the past most people led the life of larks and did not complain. It is difficult for a person to sleep when it is light around, and artificial lighting prevents one from plunging into natural sleep no less than natural. Various forms of entertainment, such as television and the Internet, do the trick: people tend to sit until midnight and longer in front of screens, and in the morning you have to get up early.

If you manage to get enough sleep only on weekends, it is easy to consider yourself an owl, while the reason can only be in an improperly organized lifestyle. Many people have proven this by their own example. By gathering their strength and starting to get up and go to bed early, but without shortening the time for sleep, they proved that an owl can very well become a lark. Perhaps the reason is also that in nature there are much more larks than owls.

brain productivity by the hour

According to research, the following will be true for most people. The highest productivity is observed from 8 to 12 noon, after which it decreases slightly, but between 15 and 17 its second peak occurs. This is the best time to learn new things: memory works best.

After periods when the brain works especially well, there are recessions. If you managed to work hard during some hours, be sure to give yourself a break, otherwise it may turn out that the next productive period will not come.

Determining your own biorhythms

Despite all the research that has been done on the study of periods of mental activity, scientists have definitely managed to find out only that each person is individual. All averages may not be correct for one subject.

You should try to determine for yourself the time when your memory works best. To do this, write down all the periods of time when you manage to do one thing for a long time without being distracted and without losing concentration. It is these periods that are the peaks of the highest brain activity. If you keep such calculations for at least a week, you will have a more or less clear picture.

When you figure out your "gold" hours, try not to spend them on meaningless tasks, do at this time the most important things that require all your attention.

Knowing about the peculiarities of the human brain can help you plan your day correctly so that it is productive, all things are easy, and you don’t feel tired in the evening.

During the day, our brain “changes its mood”. For example, if in the morning he wants to work, then by the evening he is no longer able to perform many of his functions well. How do the time of day and clock affect its activity?

Brain activity by the hour

• 6 am to 7 am Long-term memory works best. Any information received during this period of time is very well absorbed.
• 8 am to 9 am- Logical thinking works great. According to scientists, this time is most suitable for any kind of activity.
• From 11 to 12 days At this time, it becomes difficult to focus on one thing. During this period of time, the brain needs a break. Do not torment him with intellectual activity or analysis. At this time, it is important to relax and, for example, listen to calm music.

• From 13 to 14 days- Lunch time. Recharging is required not only for your stomach, but also for your brain. Stimulate his work with something tasty that he will like: berries, seafood, nuts, seeds, fruits.
• From 14 to 18 pm- an ideal time for active brain activity. As a rule, most of the work is done during this period of time.
• From 18 to 21 pm- Brain activity is gradually declining. The brain needs rest and relaxation.
• From 21 to 23 pm- there is a complete rest of the brain and the entire nervous system.
• From 11 p.m. to 1 a.m.- at this time, the recovery of subtle energies of the human body occurs. In Feng Shui, this energy is called Qi, yogis call it prana, and scientists call it muscular and nervous force.
• From 1 am to 3 am- emotional energy is restored.
• 3 am to 6 am- the work of the brain begins to activate, even despite sleep. This makes it possible to get up early and feel alert as early as 5 am.

Knowing the so-called daily routine of the brain, you can use it most effectively. Good luck and don't forget to press the buttons and

07.07.2015 08:57

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You may not have known, but our activity and desire to do certain things depend entirely on the time of day. So, it has already been proven that it is much easier to start working in the morning than in the afternoon, in addition, the tasks themselves will be solved much easier in the morning than at any other time of the day. It has to do with how our brains work. Let's take a closer look at what time of day the brain is most active and what time is best to do various work.
Postscript: here we are talking about mental activity. Doing the so-called “office” work in the morning is much easier.

But, for starters, a little tip - try to go to bed before midnight. Despite the fact that the brain is active in the morning, if you do not get enough sleep, you will feel unrealistically tired, your body will ask for sleep and it will be doubly difficult to do any work than if you get enough sleep.

And now to the time:
1. It is best to wake up at 6 o'clock. At this time, any information received by us is absorbed more easily and remembered for a long time. Therefore, if you have an exam, an interview, or any other important matter that you need to prepare for, wake up early and repeat everything you need: notes, poems, any texts, etc.

2. From 8 o'clock logical thinking is included in the work. If you need to think about something, analyze it, this is the ideal time for such work.

3. From 9 o'clock in the morning, the brain is fully tuned to work with any information that it receives: it will be easier to assimilate, process, and draw any conclusions. At this time, any work that you undertake will be done much faster and easier. In addition, this is the ideal time to work with statistics.

4. From 11 o'clock the morning charge begins to fade and the brain loses its previous activity, so at this time it is necessary to take a break - it is not without reason that big changes take place in schools and universities at this time. Eat, relax, listen to music.

5. From 12 o'clock it is best to switch from mental to physical activity: work in the garden, do a general cleaning in the house, just take a walk around the city, go in for sports, etc. activity.

In general, any mental activity in the afternoon usually does not lead to anything good. It is better to do all things related to sedentary work early in the morning, and in the afternoon to do something more physical.

During physical activity, you can think about what you will do with your brain tomorrow morning: try to mentally make a list in advance of what tasks you will solve, think about something. Surely some ideas after lunch will lead to something big the next day.
In addition, the solution to the problem can come to you both before bedtime and during sleep.

It is best to go to bed at 9 o'clock, but it is clear that many will not do this, so try to fall asleep at least at 11 o'clock in the evening, and also not burden yourself in any way from 21 to 23 o'clock. During this time, try to relax as much as possible and not stress yourself.

Sleeping from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. helps restore emotional energy and fully prepare the body and brain for the next day of vigorous mental and physical activity.

However, this is not where we say goodbye to you. You can slightly increase the time of effective mental activity in the following way:
-If you have the opportunity, set aside some time for yourself after dinner for sleep. For example, from 12 o'clock to 3 o'clock you have worked and now it is time to rest a little. After a nap in the afternoon, the brain restores a little morning charge, which is why you can return to work on any information again. This is not the same as working in the morning, but when the task needs to be solved quickly, and there is no time, this is a fairly effective way.

Now we have everything on this issue. Some conclusions:
- work mentally better from 6 o'clock to 11 o'clock.
Physical work is best done from 12 pm to 3 pm.
It is also best to go in for sports from 12 to 15 or from 14 to 18.
Relax in the evening, read a book, spend time with your loved one.
- go to bed at 11 o'clock.

Memory is the ability to reproduce past experience, one of the main properties of the nervous system, expressed in the ability to store information about the events of the external world and the reactions of the body for a long time and repeatedly enter it into the sphere of consciousness and behavior.

To remember new information well, you need to study before going to bed. For a good memory, of course, you need to get enough sleep. This is probably why there is a myth that it is best to study right before bed. But in fact, everything is exactly the opposite. The best time to memorize information is in the morning. Attempts to memorize any information in the evening can only worsen the efficiency of memory, as there is a confusion of "daytime" and "evening" information. Yes, and the neurohormonal background of the brain is favorable for memorization just in the morning. At this time, the highest ability to memorize new words, dates, etc. is observed, a person concentrates better.

You can learn in your sleep. A large number of training methods promise fast learning in a dream, without spending a lot of time. In fact, it is possible to learn some skills in a dream with the help of dreams, as well as the "pre-sleep" state and before waking up. But to transfer this process to the "industrial" scale, unfortunately, is almost impossible. The amount of knowledge learned in a dream is uncontrollable. In addition, with this method, violations of the normal sleep pattern are possible. The normal ordering of knowledge in a dream, obtained by the classical method, is a natural process. Interfering with this process through sleep learning can lead to long-term negative consequences and harm your health.

The best way to remember is action. Everyone in childhood used this method, doing calligraphy. Of course, this method is quite effective in terms of the quality of memorization, but it is no less demanding on resources (material, time, etc.). For example, you have purchased a new washing machine. You will not independently study all kinds of functions and assignments of buttons, combinations of modes. Most likely, you will read the instructions and, as needed, will open it again and again. So it is in life: it is not necessary to spend it on independent practical training. But in some areas, the principle of remembering through action is really necessary - playing sports, playing musical instruments, dancing, etc.

Sleep training is possible. There are many different techniques that promise effective and fast memorization in a dream. Theoretically, it is possible to gain some knowledge through dreams, as well as in the state immediately before falling asleep and before waking up. But unfortunately it is impossible to control the amount of information stored in this way. With this method, everything else can disrupt the normal sleep pattern. This is because our brain organizes the information learned during the day during sleep, and any intervention in this process (attempts to learn in a dream) can lead to long-term negative consequences.

In older people, memory deteriorates. Yes, aging also affects the brain, causing us to lose functional neurons, many people over 80 suffer from Alzheimer's disease. But for some reason, not everyone understands that memory must be constantly trained, starting from youth. And then with age, signs of deterioration will practically not be noticeable.

If a person remembers quickly, then he has a good memory. The fact that you quickly remember the necessary information does not mean a strong memory. The speed of recall is related to such a memory parameter as retrievability, but the time during which remembered facts are stored depends on the stability of memory. And these two quantities are not related in any way. Even if we remember quickly, we cannot develop memory stability. Such a misconception exists, perhaps due to the fact that during training, usually the information that is easier to remember is then remembered better and for a longer time.

If you learn well once, the information will never be forgotten. This is one of the most common misconceptions about memory. In fact, our long-term memory can store information for a very long time, even for several decades. Of course, it can be assumed that for most people the half-century period of information storage can be considered eternal, but from the point of view of physiology, any information tends to be forgotten over time, even in long-term memory.

Our memory is "dimensionless". This misunderstanding probably originates in high school. According to scientists, the volume of the human brain is still limited. Although it is quite possible, one person in a million is able to memorize the entire Encyclopædia Britannica. In addition, long-term memorization of significant amounts of information requires a huge number of operations in the human brain. And according to statistics, most people remember only about 100,000 facts in their lifetime. And it should be borne in mind that when memorizing too much information, the risk of Alzheimer's disease increases.

Mnemonics is a unique and effective means of memorization. This is partly true. With the help of mnemonic methods, it is really easier to remember more information in a shorter period of time. But one cannot think that it is enough to simply present information in the most convenient form with the help of mnemonics, and automatically it will be remembered forever. Such methods allow you to reduce the number of repetitions when memorizing, but they cannot force you to instantly memorize large amounts of information.

Man does not forget anything. There are various training programs (for example, a foreign language), which are based on the assertion that everything that a person has ever learned remains in his memory forever - you just need to be able to find this information. But in fact, any information can be forgotten, and even your own name. Of course, the probability that this will happen is negligible, but still it exists.

Memory is given to us from birth, and it cannot be changed. Some grasp everything on the fly, but there are people who need a significant amount of time to memorize. Hence the belief that everything depends on heredity, on parents and other factors. Even some well-known psychologists, such as William James, adhered to this opinion. However, studies have shown that memory can and should be developed by constant training. More capable students, as a rule, simply know how to transform the information they receive into the most easy-to-remember form. Smart people quickly analyze information and organize it so that they remember it quickly and for as long as possible. Everyone can learn this, but for those who are more capable, it turns out subconsciously. After completing a week-long course in mnemonics, most students improve their memorization skills. There are no cardinal changes in their brain, they just learn to handle information more competently. Repetition is the mother of learning.

Thoughtless repetition can negatively affect the process of memorization. Yes, and previously learned information can suffer from this. Repetition can be effective at certain intervals and with long pauses in between. And everything is purely individual.

Memory can be improved with pills. At the moment, there are no pills that directly improve memory. All drugs that are considered as such simply improve the general state of health. They include small doses of sugar, caffeine, etc. However, you should not count on them.

It is interesting. Renowned professor Jim Tully (Jimm Tully) has done a lot of research to obtain a "memory pill". And he created something similar. However, such a pill captures not some specific memories or areas of knowledge, but all memory, all impressions, all muscle, short-term memory - all reactions for a certain period. In psychological science there is a dilemma "stability or plasticity". Nature has decided it in its own way, and it is very difficult to change it.

Whether you're learning a new language, learning to cook, learning a musical instrument, or simply training your memory, it's good to know how the brain learns new information.

Each person is unique, but in the process of learning we all show similar psycho-physiological tendencies. Understanding these patterns will help you develop the most effective strategy for acquiring new knowledge.

Let's look at 6 basic principles of learning that everyone should know.

1. Visual information is best absorbed

50% of brain resources are spent on visual perception. Think for a moment: exactly half of your brain activity is occupied by vision and understanding of what you see, and only the rest goes to other receptors and internal processes of the body.

However, vision is not only the most energy-consuming channel of perception. Its influence on the rest of the senses is so great that sometimes it can significantly distort the meaning of the information received.

50% of brain activity is used to process visual information.
70% of incoming information passes through visual receptors.
It takes 100ms (0.1 seconds) to decipher the visual scene.

An example of such an influence is an experiment in which more than fifty passionate wine lovers could not determine which drink was in front of him - red or white wine. Before the start of the tasting, the experimenters mixed a red pigment without taste and smell into the white wine. As a result, without exception, all the subjects claimed that they drink red wine - the influence of the appearance of the drink on taste buds turned out to be so strong.

Another amazing finding was that the brain perceives text as a set of images, so reading this paragraph now, in fact, you are doing a great job of deciphering many "hieroglyphs", which are letters, into semantic units.

In this regard, it becomes clear why reading takes so much effort compared to looking at illustrations.

In addition to static visual objects, we also pay special attention to everything that moves. That is, drawings and animations are the best companions when learning something, and all kinds of cards, images and diagrams can serve as a good help for the successful assimilation of new information.

2. First - the essence, then the details

In an effort to master a large amount of new information at once, you risk creating a terrible mess in your head. To avoid this, keep in touch with the big picture: after learning something new, go back and see how it can relate to what you already know - this will help you not to get lost.

In fact, the human brain tends to catch the general sense of what is happening first, and only then the details, so why not use this natural feature to your advantage?

Having received a portion of knowledge, find a place for them in the general system - this will significantly increase your chances of memorization. Also, before learning anything, it can be helpful to first understand the general point: knowing what will be discussed as a whole serves as a support for the nervous system to perceive finer details.

Imagine that your memory is a closet with a bunch of shelves: each time you add a new thing to it, you think about which category it belongs to. For example, you bought a black sweater and you can put it on the black shelf, the sweater shelf, or the "winter" shelf. Obviously, in reality, you can't put the same thing in more than one place at once, but hypothetically, these categories exist, and your neurons regularly do this job of correlating new incoming information with what is already available.

By making graphs and writing about the place of the subject being studied in the overall picture of knowledge, you will achieve better assimilation of information.

3. Sleep significantly affects memory and learning ability

Studies have shown that when learning new information is followed by a healthy night's sleep, this has a positive effect on the retention of knowledge. In the Motor Skills Experiment, participants who had 12 hours of sleep before the test showed 20.5% improvement, while the other group, in which learning a new skill and testing it fell on the same day with a difference of 4 hours, achieved an improvement in everything. by 3.9%.

However, a modern person does not always have the opportunity to fully sleep, and in such cases a short daytime nap helps. University of California experiment ( The University of California) found that students who were asked to sleep after completing a challenging task did much better when performing a similar exercise after sleep than those who remained awake between the two tests.

Sleeping before learning new material can also be very helpful. Dr. Matthew Walker Dr. Matthew Walker), who led the study, states that "sleep prepares the brain for new knowledge and makes it look like a dry sponge, ready to absorb as much moisture as possible."

Learn a new skill or read about something before you go to bed: when you get up and try to remember what you learned before going to bed, you will be surprised how much you remember.

4. Lack of sleep affects cognitive performance

Not having a complete understanding of the nature of sleep and its purpose, sometimes we neglect this natural need, causing ourselves to lack it, or.

But despite the fact that the process of sleep itself is not fully understood, scientists have long known what its absence leads to: high nervous tension, increased caution, risk avoidance, reliance on old habits, as well as susceptibility to various diseases and physical injuries, such as how tired organs lose their normal tone.

Lack of sleep also affects cognitive activity: the ability to absorb new information is reduced by 40%. From this point of view, a good night's sleep and a fresh head in the morning can be much more beneficial than staying up late at night on work or textbooks.

• irritability
• cognitive disorders
• memory lapses, forgetfulness
• amoral behavior
• non-stop yawning
• hallucinations
• symptoms similar to ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder)
• slow motion
• trembling limbs
• muscle pain
• incoordination
• cardiac arrhythmia
• risk of heart disease
• risk of diabetes
• growth suppression
• obesity
• fever

Harvard Medical School ( Harvard Medical School) conducted a study in which it was found that the 30 hours following training are the most critical for consolidating new knowledge, and lack of sleep during this period can nullify all your efforts, even if after these 30 hours you get enough sleep.

Therefore, leave night gatherings in the past: the most productive time for learning new things is during the daytime, when you are alert and full of energy, and for the best memorization of information, do not forget to get a good sleep right away.

5. We remember information best when we teach others.

When we have to explain to others what we ourselves have just learned, our brain absorbs information much better: we organize it more clearly in our minds, and memory stores the main points in more detail.

A group of participants in one experiment were told that they would be taking a test to test their newly acquired knowledge, while the second group had to prepare to explain this information to others. As a result, all the test subjects passed the test, but those who thought that they would have to teach someone remembered the material much better than the rest.

Study author, Dr. John Nestojko ( Dr. John Nestojko), says that the mental attitude of students before and during training can have a big impact on the cognitive process. " To set the students in the right mood, sometimes it is enough to give them a couple of simple instructions.“, he declares.

Although we may not always be aware of it, the need to communicate our knowledge to others forces us to use more effective methods: we better highlight the main thing, make connections between different facts more easily, and organize the information received more carefully.

6. Information is remembered better when it alternates with another

"Block Practice" ( block practice) is a fairly common approach to learning, named as such by the scientist of the University of California, Dick Schmidt ( Dick Schmidt). This approach involves learning the same things in blocks, that is, by repeating information or skill over and over again over a long period of time, such as continuously reading a history textbook or mastering a single serve in tennis.

Schmidt himself advocates a fundamentally different method based on the alternation of information in the learning process. His colleague, Bob Bjork, is investigating this approach in his psychology lab by giving participants pictures of two different art styles, with some subjects studying the work in blocks of 6 pictures of each style, while others view the pictures in turn.

As a result, subjects who were shown pictures in blocks were much worse able to distinguish one style from another (30% correct answers) compared to those who watched pictures of different styles mixed up (60%).

Surprisingly, before the start of the experiment, about 70% of the participants said that they find the block approach more effective and that it helps them in learning. As you can see, our ordinary ideas about the cognitive process are often far from reality and need to be clarified.

Björk believes that the principle of alternation works better because it is based on the brain's natural ability to recognize patterns and differences between them. As for the study of new information, the same principle helps to notice the new and correlate it with the data already available.

This approach can be used in preparing for exams, when you do not improve each skill separately, but in turn: oral, written and listening comprehension when learning a foreign language, right and left serve in tennis, etc.

As Björk says, we all need to learn how to learn. " Almost any job involves continuous learning, and understanding how you can influence the effectiveness of this process will greatly increase your chances of success.».