what do small breaks with the brain and learning

Taking short breaks, known as "micro-rest" periods, during learning can significantly enhance skill acquisition and retention. These brief pauses of about 10 seconds allow the brain to process information much faster than during active learning. During these rest periods, the brain's hippocampus and cortex replay the information at 20 times the speed, effectively increasing the number of repetitions and reinforcing the learning process 1 2.

This method, known as the "spacing effect," has been shown to improve learning across various domains, including language acquisition and motor skills 3. Incorporating these micro-rests helps the brain to consolidate memory similarly to processes occurring during sleep, where learned sequences are replayed at accelerated rates 4.

In educational settings, introducing small gaps or rest periods has been suggested to improve students' learning outcomes by allowing the brain to replay and reinforce the material 2. Overall, brief breaks during learning sessions can leverage the brain's natural tendencies to boost memory and learning efficiency.