The human brain works in cycles. Our mental energy is not a sustained, straight line that is maintained over multiple hours; it a shifting squiggle of intense peaks and steep declines.

Without a proper understanding of one’s limits, longer study sessions can prove counterintuitive for many students. Forcing yourself to keep going even when a break or change of focus is needed can leave you feeling burned out while retaining little of the necessary information.

Deeper dives into study material require conservation of your mental energy and being realistic about what can be covered in each session.

Here are some ways to work with your brain’s natural cycles of productivity, ensuring you get the most out of longer study intervals.

Why Study Longer?

Many students believe that more is better when it comes to studying. If they do flashcards and quizzes for two hours instead of thirty minutes, that means they’ll be four times ready for the quiz… right?

Not exactly. Current research points to short, intense bursts scattered over longer periods of time as being the most beneficial method of exam prep. Condensed sessions spread out over days and weeks allow the brain to properly absorb information without burnout.

Unfortunately, being able to study for 15-30 minutes a day over two-three weeks will not be manageable in every situation. Longer study sessions may be necessary if:

• You need to develop an intricate understanding of a particularly challenging/difficult subject
• Studying that involves written segments (your brain typically needs 20-30 minutes to enter a flow state when reading)
• You have limited time to prepare

The benefits of shorter and longer study sessions are not mutually exclusive. There are ways to incorporate the benefits and methods of shorter intervals across longer periods.

Choosing The Best Time of Day

If you work better in earlier hours of the day, the period from roughly 10am to 2pm is likely to be your ideal study time. For those who operate better later in the day or have time constraints (e.g. high school hours and extracurricular activities), the 4-10pm time slot may be preferrable.

Whether morning or evening study sessions are optimal for you, however, is subjective and comes down to personal preference.

Many teens and young adults in their early twenties often experience delayed circadian rhythms compared to children and older adults. This means there is a general preference for later work among high school and college students.

Daily Habits

More important than time of day, however, are your habits. Regardless of when you function best, daily habits that work in your favor include:

• Getting proper sleep (7-9 hours per night)
• Eating healthy
• Class attendance/paying attention
• Minimizing class or academic-related stress

A proper sleep schedule and nutrition give your brain the necessary fuel to conduct study sessions.

Focusing on in-class material keeps you up to date on exam dates and increases subject matter understanding. Keeping stress minimal increases test day confidence and allows you to focus on other matters.

Structuring a Longer Study Session

Studying for any longer than one hour consecutively can be a challenge. Humans can only perform roughly 3-4 hours of distraction-free, intensely focused “deep work” per day.

As most high school students have other daily obligations, such as class, sports, or homework, it is highly unlikely you will be able to place that three-hour period entirely on study.

Distractions

Getting distracted while studying, such as through text messages, people around you, or social media scrolling, can take you out of the flow state by forcing your brain to reorient. Once removed from deep work, it is hard to reorient and get back into the right frame of mind.

When studying and in the flow state, minimize any possible distractions:

• Don’t check your phone; turn it off if necessary.
• Work in a quiet environment that is comfortable, but not excessively so.
• Pick a time where you are unlikely to be perturbed by friends or family.
• Only open the tabs and programs on your computer that are necessary to do your work.

Chunking

The optimal way to conduct longer study sessions is by breaking them into chunks. You probably cannot manage 2 consecutive hours of non-stop studying. Breaking it into four hours of on-off intervals, however, can be more manageable and give your brain a chance to relax.

Do this for 30 to 90 minutes at a time, then take a break of equal length. This can allow your brain to relax and recharge before starting another session. By breaking your studies into multiple, smaller sessions, you can harness the benefits of shorter sessions over longer periods of time.

Deeper dives into study material require conservation of your mental energy and being realistic about what can be covered in each session. Here are some ways to work with your brain’s natural cycles of productivity, ensuring you get the most out of longer study intervals.

Improve your Study Strategy with Test Prep Score

Regardless of whether your next exam is three weeks or three days away, it’s never too early to start preparing.

At Test Prep Score, our methods focus heavily on the short, interval-based studies described above. We believe deep work has deep payoffs, and well-targeted study efforts result in exam success.

Looking for an online or in-person tutor to help with your study efforts? Check out our Find a Tutor page to find tutors anywhere in America, from Boston to San Diego.