6 Secrets to Learning Faster Backed by Neuroscience

Published 23 February 2024 by

Martin Hamilton

As a human in a fast moving world loaded with distractions you understand the importance of learning and the struggles that come with it, especially as we age. Neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to physically change in response to experience, is critical for learning. The more we do something, the more robust the connections between neurons become, and the better we get at that task.

However, what if you were told that there are ways to learn faster and more effectively? In this article, we will explore six critical ingredients that can help you learn faster: attention, alertness, sleep, repetition, breaks, and mistakes.

To learn, you need to pay attention we all know that, but why is it so hard sometimes? Studies have shown that when you are fully focused on a task, you are more likely to retain that information, especially for the long term. However, until the last little blip in human history, we have never had to work this hard to pay attention.

With the frequent context switching that happens when we use social media, we experience significant attention deficits. In addition to attention, alertness is also essential for learning. You must be fully focused on a task to have an easier time retaining information. By activating your body’s fight-or-flight system, you can increase your alertness, and there are various techniques, such as exercise and breathing techniques, that you can use to achieve this. I think most learning problems today stem from people having been brainwashed into thinking our brains can multitask all day long, and still learn like we would if completely focused and alert.

I learned in a college literature class as we would read classic fiction and later be tested on the content that our brains can really only effectively concentrate on one thing at a time. Sure we can walk down the street and chew bubblegum at the same time, yet to learn new material we are designed to focus with full alertness on one solitary subject for complete absorption. We can get by and barely pass by falling in and out of focus but I’m talking about acing the test.

The Neuroscience of Learning

In order to learn, we need neuroplasticity to happen. This means our brain’s ability to physically change in response to experience.

When we're learning something, tiny connections called synapses form between neighboring neurons in the brain.

The more we do that thing, the more robust those connections become and the better we get at doing whatever it is.

Attention is a critical ingredient in learning. Studies have shown that when we are fully focused on a task, we are more likely to retain that information, especially for the long term. However, until the last little blip in human history, we have never had to work this hard to pay attention. We are designed to focus on one thing at a time.

The frequent context switching that happens when we use social media results in significantly measurable attention deficits. To improve your attention in the long term, you can do things like focused attention meditation. To improve your attention in the short term, you can exercise.

Regular exercise improves memory and cognition, and just 20 minutes of moderate exercise will improve your attention for about two hours afterwards. It also strengthens our brain allowing neurons to wire together better.

Alertness is also crucial to learning. Activating our body’s fight-or-flight system results in the release of things like adrenaline and noradrenaline, which increase our alertness. You can increase your fight-or-flight system by doing certain breathing techniques like Wim Hof breathing, ending your shower with a cold blast of water, or ingesting substances like caffeine.

However, too much stress can physically change our brain and cause issues with learning and memory. Little bits of stress are good and help you reach peak performance.

Sleep is essential for learning. During sleep, our brain consolidates and strengthens memories. Deep sleep is especially essential for health and wellbeing. Most adults need around 1.5–2 hours of deep sleep per night. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advise adults aged 18–60 years to aim for at least 7 hours of sleep per night. Around 25% of this should be deep sleep. I recommend reading the book “Why We Sleep” by Matthew Walker PhD, which dives deeper into learning about the effects of good vs. bad sleep. He explains important ideas like what really happens during REM sleep, why our sleep patterns change across a lifetime, and how common sleep aids affect us and the dangers of long-term damage.

Repetition is also crucial, as it strengthens the connections between neurons. We should repeat information we learn over a series of days afterwards. This reinforces the information and helps it go into long term memory.

Breaks are necessary to give your brain time to consolidate and process information. During breaks instead of scrolling social media allow your brain to relax and unleash dopamine and other heightened neurotransmitters like cortisol, which is the stress hormone.

Mistakes are also important because they help your brain learn what not to do and what to do instead. That doesn’t make them on purpose or get reckless, just don’t allow yourself to get too frustrated over them, realize they’re part of the learning process, and use them as a tool of what not to do.

In conclusion, there are six critical ingredients that can help you learn faster: attention, alertness, sleep, repetition, breaks, and mistakes. By using these ingredients, you can make your learning better and more effective.

Neuroplasticity and Synapse Formation

In order to learn, our brain needs to undergo neuroplasticity, which is the brain’s ability to physically change in response to experience. When we learn something, whether it’s information or a skill, tiny connections called synapses form between neighboring neurons in the brain. The more we practice that skill or information, the stronger and more robust those connections become, leading to better performance.

The neurons in our brain have hand-like structures called growth cones, which actively sense the environment around them and help each neuron find the correct place to connect to. This process is crucial during development, and when things go wrong, it can lead to issues with learning and memory.

Children have a natural ability to learn quickly because their brains are like sponges, and they are exposed to a lot of information. However, our ability to learn goes downhill after the age of five, and it becomes exponentially harder to learn after our mid-twenties.

To make your learning better, you can use attention, alertness, sleep, repetition, breaks, and mistakes. Attention is crucial to learning, and studies have shown that when we are fully focused on a task, we are more likely to retain that information. However, with the frequent context switching that happens when we use social media, it results in significant attention deficits.

Alertness is also important, and activating our body’s fight-or-flight system can increase our alertness. Exercise, certain breathing techniques like Wim Hof breathing, and even a cold blast of water after a shower can increase alertness. Stress can also enhance learning, but too much stress can physically change our brain and cause issues with learning and memory.

Regular exercise can increase the size of the part of your brain involved in learning and memory, and it also helps you make new brain cells. Studies have shown that just 20 minutes of moderate exercise can improve your attention for about two hours afterward.

In summary, our brain’s ability to physically change in response to experience is crucial for learning. By using attention, alertness, sleep, repetition, breaks, and mistakes, we can make our learning faster and more effective.

Childhood Learning vs. Adult Learning

Learning is a complex process that involves the physical changes in the brain in response to experiences. These changes occur through the formation of tiny connections called synapses between neighboring neurons in the brain. As we learn more, these connections become more robust, and we get better at doing whatever it is we are learning.

Children seem to learn more quickly than adults because they have more neuroplasticity, which is the brain’s ability to physically change in response to experience. However, our ability to learn goes downhill after age five, and it gets exponentially harder to learn once we hit our mid-twenties.

To make your learning better, you can use attention, alertness, sleep, repetition, breaks, and mistakes. Attention is a crucial function for learning, and studies have shown that when we are fully focused on a task, we are more likely to retain that information, especially for the long term.

Alertness is also essential for learning, and activating our body’s fight-or-flight system increases our alertness. You can increase your fight-or-flight system by exercising, doing breathing techniques, or exposing yourself to a small stressor before a learning task.

Sleep is crucial for consolidating memories, and studies have shown that getting enough sleep after learning something new can help you retain that information better. Repetition is also essential for learning, and practicing a skill or re-reading information can help strengthen the connections between neurons.

Taking breaks is also crucial for learning because it gives your brain time to consolidate the information you have learned. Finally, making mistakes is an essential part of the learning process because it helps you identify what you need to focus on and improve.

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Conclusion

In conclusion, learning is a lifelong process, and there are things you can do to learn faster and more effectively, regardless of your age. By using attention, alertness, sleep, repetition, breaks, and mistakes, you can improve your ability to learn and retain information.