Thursday, March 1, 2007
Students who procrastinate, stay up cramming or study for long blocks of time, are engaging in study behavior that is more harmful than helpful, said R. L. Kaplan, creator of Smart-Kit.com.
Kaplan, a board-certified neurologist, created the Web site in 2006 to offer students an understanding of how their minds work in relation to their study habits.
“The whole goal of the Web site is to present helpful information for students to use their brains more effectively and efficiently so that they can get better grades,” Kaplan said.
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Students feel like they must make every moment of studying count, but it’s more effective to take short breaks to let your memory grow.
- John Wade, staff psychologist at KU Clinical and Psychological Services
Studies on the Web site show that if students go without sleep for 19 or more hours at a time, their brains operate at a .1 percent blood alcohol content. The legal driving limit is .08 in Kansas.Instead of pulling an all-nighter to study before a big test, students might as well hit the bars.
Many students stay up cramming the night before a big test. Some use caffeine and prescription drugs to stay attentive and awake during studying. Kaplan said drugs like Adderall and Ritalin had negative effects on students who were using them without a prescription. Exercising for 30 minutes is an effective way to mimic the positive effects of these drugs, such as improved focus and memory, he said.
John Wade, staff psychologist at KU Clinical and Psychological Services, said bad study habits were especially prevalent during midterm and finals times.
Wade said more time and energy was used to help students stay awake when pulling an all-nighter than was used to help them retain information. Psychologically, students became emotionally depleted.
“When a baby needs sleep, the impact on the mood is very visible and small things become very frustrating,” Wade said. “When we’re adults, we’re not going to do it at the same level, but the same basic principle applies.”
Wade said all students needed an adequate amount of sleep or their ability to deal with stress diminished.
Besides sleep, breaking up study schedules could help the brain retain more information.
“Students feel like they must make every moment of studying count, but it’s more effective to take short breaks to let your memory grow,” Wade said.
Bridget Monahan, wellness director of student health services, said students should get good amounts of sleep and physical activity to help them succeed.
“Don’t procrastinate. Make a calendar of all your exams, so you have plenty of time to prepare,” Monahan said.
Kansan staff writer Danae DeShazer can be contacted at ddeshazer@kansan.com.
—Edited by Lisa Tilson
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