Los pequeños descansos que ayudan al cerebro a aprender cosas nuevas

BBC News Mundo

30 Jul 202206:31

Summary

TLDRThe video script explores the counterintuitive concept that continuous studying or practicing isn't the most efficient way to learn. Instead, scientific studies suggest that taking breaks, or 'recesses' for the brain, can enhance learning by allowing the brain to consolidate information more durably. Researcher Leonardo Claudino's study on brief rest periods shows that the brain uses these intervals for rapid mental 'replay' of newly learned material. This process may transfer memories from the hippocampus to the neocortex for long-term storage. The script also touches on the benefits of sleep for learning and the importance of strategic breaks in teaching and rehabilitation, emphasizing the need for further research to determine the ideal break duration.

Takeaways

📚 Continuous studying or practicing isn't the most efficient way to learn something new.
🧠 Taking breaks or 'recesses' for the brain can actually enhance learning and memory consolidation.
🔬 Studies by Leonardo Claudino and colleagues have shown that the brain uses rest periods to mentally 'replay' what was just learned.
🎼 This replay process can help transfer memories from the hippocampus to the neocortex for long-term storage.
🛌 Sleep has long been known to aid in learning by allowing the brain to process and consolidate information without external distractions.
🔄 The new findings suggest that brief rest periods complement the consolidation process that occurs during sleep.
🚫 It's advisable not to practice to the point of exhaustion; instead, give the brain a chance to process and store new information.
👨‍🏫 For educators, planning rest periods during lessons can be beneficial as students' brains continue to work during these breaks.
💡 Strategic breaks can be particularly helpful for individuals with brain injury sequelae to maximize rehabilitation sessions.
⏱ There's no 'one-size-fits-all' duration for rest periods, but equal durations of practice and rest, like 10 minutes each, have shown positive results.
🧘 Cognitive psychologist Barbara Oakley explains that the brain operates in focused and diffuse modes, both of which are necessary for effective learning.

Q & A

What is the common instinct when preparing for an important exam, musical recital, or work presentation?
-The common instinct is to study and practice as much as possible without stopping to cram as much information as possible into the brain.
What do scientific studies suggest about continuous studying or practicing as a learning method?
-Scientific studies suggest that continuous studying or practicing is not the most efficient way to learn something new.
How do breaks or 'recess' for the brain help in the learning process?
-Breaks allow the brain to consolidate or record information more durably, which helps in better learning.
Who is Leonardo Claudino and what is his contribution to the study of brain learning during rest?
-Leonardo Claudino is a researcher and co-author of a study published by the United States National Institutes of Health in 2021, which explores how the brain learns during brief rest periods.
What did Claudino's study discover about the brain's activity during rest?
-The study discovered that the brain uses rest periods to perform a rapid mental 'replay' of what has just been learned.
What was the original goal of Claudino's research?
-The original goal of Claudino's research was to help patients who had suffered from cerebrovascular accidents to recover movements and skills.
How did the researchers analyze the brain activity of volunteers in the study?
-The researchers used magnetoencephalography to observe the brain activity of 33 right-handed volunteers as they learned to type a sequence of numbers with their left hand.
What does the brain's 'replay' during rest help achieve in terms of memory?
-The brain's 'replay' helps a memory transition from the hippocampus, where transient memories are stored, to the neocortex, where more durable long-term memories are kept.
How does sleep aid in the brain's processing and consolidation of learned information?
-Sleep helps because when we are asleep, the brain is not receiving as many external stimuli, allowing it to focus on consolidating the learned information.
What is the potential relationship between sleep and brief rest periods in terms of learning?
-Some scientists believe that sleep may encode a more complete experience or context, while brief rest periods might record more specific details or movements.
What is the recommended approach when learning something new according to the script?
-The recommended approach is not to practice to the point of exhaustion but to give the brain opportunities to process and store what is being learned.
How can teachers or coaches integrate the concept of rest into their teaching or training sessions?
-Teachers or coaches should plan for breaks during lessons or practice sessions, as these breaks allow students' brains to continue learning even when they are resting.
What is the ideal duration for these rest periods in learning?
-There is no 'magic recipe' for the most efficient rest duration for learning, but in the study mentioned, volunteers learned more when practice and rest durations were similar, such as ten minutes of practice followed by ten minutes of rest.
According to Barbara Oakley, how does the brain need to operate to learn effectively?
-According to Barbara Oakley, the brain needs to alternate between focused mode (when we are paying attention to something) and diffuse mode (when the brain is more relaxed) to learn effectively.
What does taking a break during practice, such as playing a piano song, entail?
-Taking a break during practice means pausing occasionally and either stopping the activity or doing something completely different that does not interfere with the brain's replay process.

Outlines

00:00

📚 The Power of Breaks in Learning

This paragraph discusses the common belief that continuous studying or practicing is the best way to prepare for important exams, performances, or presentations. However, recent scientific studies suggest that taking breaks is more efficient for learning. The brain consolidates and records information more durably during rest periods. Leonardo Claudino's study, published by the National Institutes of Health in 2021, reveals that the brain uses these breaks for a quick mental 'replay' of newly learned material. The study aimed to help stroke patients recover by analyzing the brain activity of volunteers learning to type a sequence with their non-dominant hand. Using magnetoencephalography, scientists discovered that during breaks, the brain replays what was just learned, aiding the transfer of memories from the hippocampus to the neocortex for long-term storage. The paragraph also touches on the known benefits of sleep for learning and the potential complementarity of sleep and breaks in learning processes.

05:02

🧠 Switching Modes for Effective Learning

The second paragraph delves into the brain's need to alternate between focused and diffuse modes for effective learning. It emphasizes the importance of taking breaks from focused activities, such as practicing piano, to allow the brain to consolidate knowledge without interference. The paragraph introduces Barbara Oakley's work, highlighting the two complementary modes of brain function: focused mode for attention-intensive tasks and diffuse mode for relaxed states. The advice is to avoid using breaks to learn something new, ensuring the brain has the opportunity to solidify the information from the previous focused session. The summary underscores the science-backed strategy of incorporating breaks to enhance the learning process.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Efficient learning

Efficient learning refers to the most effective methods or strategies that facilitate the acquisition of new knowledge or skills. In the video's theme, it's contrasted with the common belief of continuous studying or practicing without breaks. The script explains that taking breaks can actually enhance learning efficiency by allowing the brain to consolidate information more durably, as seen in the study by Leonardo Claudino and colleagues.

💡Consolidation

Consolidation in the context of the video refers to the process by which the brain strengthens and makes more permanent the information or skills it has learned. It is a key concept because the video emphasizes that breaks during learning can help in the consolidation of knowledge from the hippocampus to the neocortex, where long-term memories are stored.

💡Rest periods

Rest periods are intervals of inactivity or reduced cognitive effort that are suggested to be beneficial for learning in the video. The script discusses how these breaks allow the brain to engage in a 'mental replay' of recently learned material, which aids in the consolidation process and makes learning more efficient.

💡Mental replay

Mental replay is a concept where the brain quickly reviews or rehearses information it has just learned during rest periods. The video script describes how this process was observed through magnetoencephalography in subjects learning to type a sequence with their non-dominant hand, and it is believed to facilitate the transfer of memories from short-term to long-term storage.

💡Hippocampus

The hippocampus is a region of the brain that plays a critical role in memory, particularly in the storage and retrieval of recent experiences. In the video, it is mentioned as the initial storage site for memories before they are consolidated into the neocortex during rest.

💡Neocortex

The neocortex, also known as the neocortical region, is the part of the cerebral cortex that is involved in higher-order brain functions, including long-term memory. The script explains that memories are transferred here from the hippocampus during rest, making them more durable.

💡Rehabilitation

Rehabilitation in the video refers to the process of recovery and restoration of skills and functions, particularly for individuals who have suffered from cerebrovascular accidents. The script suggests that strategic use of rest periods can maximize the benefits of rehabilitation sessions.

💡Cognitive modes

Cognitive modes, as explained by Barbara Oakley in the video, are the focused mode and the diffuse mode of brain operation. The focused mode is when attention is directed towards a specific task, while the diffuse mode is when the brain is more relaxed. The video emphasizes the importance of alternating between these modes for effective learning.

💡Focused mode

Focused mode is one of the cognitive modes where the brain is actively engaged and concentrating on a specific task or problem. The script mentions that practicing a song on the piano is an example of the focused mode, and taking breaks allows the brain to transition to the diffuse mode.

💡Diffuse mode

Diffuse mode is the other cognitive mode, characterized by a relaxed state of the brain where it is not actively focused on a specific task. The video script suggests that engaging in this mode during breaks can help the brain consolidate knowledge without interference from focused activities.

💡Optimal duration

Optimal duration in the context of the video refers to the ideal length of practice and rest periods for effective learning. The script cites a study where participants learned more effectively when practice and rest periods were of similar length, such as ten minutes each.

Highlights

Continuous studying or practicing is not the most efficient way to learn something new.

Scientific studies show that taking breaks can help consolidate learning more effectively.

The brain uses rest periods to perform a quick mental 'replay' of newly learned information.

Leonardo Claudino's study on how the brain learns during brief rest periods was published by the U.S. National Institutes of Health in 2021.

The study aimed to help stroke patients recover movements and skills.

Researchers analyzed the brain activity of 33 right-handed volunteers learning to type a sequence with their left hand.

The brain's 'replay' during rest periods was observed using magnetoencephalography.

The replay helps transfer memories from the hippocampus to the neocortex for long-term retention.

Good sleep has long been known to aid in processing and consolidating learned information.

The new discovery is the power of short breaks on the go for memory and learning.

Scientists believe that sleep and short breaks may complement each other in the consolidation process.

It is recommended not to practice to exhaustion when learning something new; allow the brain time to process and store information.

For educators, planning breaks during lessons or practice can be beneficial for students' learning.

People with stroke sequelae can also benefit from strategic breaks during rehabilitation sessions.

There is no 'magic recipe' for the most efficient type of break for learning, as it varies.

In the typing study, volunteers learned more when practice and rest durations were similar, such as 10 minutes each.

Cognitive psychologist Barbara Oakley explains the brain's focused and diffuse modes and their importance in learning.

To effectively learn, the brain needs to switch between focused and diffuse modes.

During breaks, avoid activities that interfere with the brain's replay of learned information.