Memory loves pauses: scientists have discovered the benefits of relaxing

We're used to filling in any spare minute with new information—checking our phone, turning on music, or moving on to the next task. However, after learning, it may be more useful for the brain to stop for a while: studies show that a quiet rest can help consolidate new memories. About why inactivity after studying can be useful for memory — in the material of Izvestia.

A few minutes of rest helps to keep the new

According to Scientific American magazine, after receiving new information, memory remains unstable: the brain needs time to make it more stable. This process is called memory consolidation.

Two recent meta-analyses have shown that resting after learning is, on average, associated with better memorization than completing another task. One of them, published in the journal Psychological Bulletin & Review, combined data from 37 studies and 63 experiments. The authors found a statistically significant positive effect of restful rest, which persisted even after seven days. At the same time, the benefits varied depending on age and were more noticeable in the elderly than in the young.

Why the brain needs a break from new information

One possible reason is that during quiet wakefulness, the brain receives less new information that could interfere with processing previous experiences. The researchers suggest that during this period, newly acquired information may be reactivated. In particular, closer interaction between the hippocampus and cortical regions during rest was associated with subsequent memory improvement.

At the same time, rest does not necessarily have to mean sleep. In one experiment, 30 minutes of sleep and restful rest with closed eyes gave a comparable result and proved to be more effective than a distracting task.

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Just sitting is not enough

There is an important condition: a quiet rest should not turn into another intense mental activity. In experiments, participants retained new information worse if they recalled past events or imagined the future during the rest period. The more vivid such inner experiences were, the more the advantage of rest could decrease.

Therefore, we are not talking about any free time, but rather about a short period with a minimum amount of new information and external or internal distractions.

Anxiety can interfere with the consolidation of memories.

The emotional state can also affect the effectiveness of rest. A study published in the journal Neurobiology of Learning and Memory has shown a non-linear relationship between situational anxiety and information retention.

In participants without clinical manifestations of anxiety disorders, moderate anxiety levels during rest were associated with poorer memory scores. At the same time, the overall effect of restful rest turned out to be small, and according to the main indicator of memory sensitivity, there was no statistically significant difference between rest and a distracting task.

The authors believe that a person's internal state can influence the processes of early stabilization of new memories.

Scientists talked about the connection of deep sleep with memory impairment

The effect was also noticed in the classroom

We decided to test the hypothesis in real learning conditions. The study, published in Applied Cognitive Psychology, involved 128 children aged 10 to 12 years.

After studying the word lists, the students were given 10 minutes of either quiet rest or assignments. On average, children retained their words better after a period of rest. However, the result depended on the order of the conditions: the advantage of rest was observed when it followed first. Therefore, the authors consider the conclusions as preliminary and note the need for further research in real-world educational settings.

The phone can be postponed after the lecture.

So far, research does not provide a universal rule on exactly how much to rest and what such a break should look like. One of the meta-analyses studied found no significant effect of rest duration, body position, lighting, or open and closed eyes on the average effect.

Therefore, we are not talking about a special memorization technique. A more cautious conclusion looks simpler: after receiving important information, it may be useful for a person not to immediately switch to a new data stream. Leaving your phone aside for a while, not turning on another podcast, and letting your thoughts calm down is probably not a waste of time, but part of the process by which the brain consolidates what it has just learned.