Studying: 7 Answers You Should Know

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Let’s cut right to the chase… Studying isn’t exactly the most instantly gratifying activity.

There are just so many other things that are more interesting to do. Although studying something you are actually interested in makes the process easier, it can still feel like a tedious task. The eventual rewards we get from great study sessions, however, make everything worth it.

In this article, we will look at some tricks to possibly make the studying process more manageable and also consider some frequently asked questions regarding studying.

studying with wine or pre workout

Can You Study with Wine?

To go out on a Friday night or to get a good study session under my belt? That is the question. 

What if you could at least have a glass of wine with that study session? Well, can you?

study found that people with an alcohol level of approximately 0.075% can give a slight boost in their problem-solving skills. This means that maybe — just maybe — your creativity can improve by drinking alcohol moderately.

Now, this doesn’t mean you should, and I am not recommending, that you mix your party and study habits together. It just allows you to enjoy a guilt-free couple of sips as you increase your knowledge. 

However, it is worth remembering that although you can study with a little bit of wine, it is probably not the most effective way to learn. 

Getting adequate sleep, proper nutrition, some exercise, and being in a productive environment all allow you to study better. 

These strategies will allow you to study more effectively and then subsequentially have more free time to actually head out and enjoy a Friday evening with friends (and plenty of wine)!

studying with wine

Recommended Reading: Is self learning easy?

Can You Use Pre-Workout for Studying?

Pre-workout can be effective for keeping you awake, alert, and therefore, studying longer. The powder typically contains around 150 to 300mg of caffeine per serving, and research suggests that caffeine helps with focus during study sessions. 

One study observed participants who consumed lots of caffeine, and they demonstrated improved verbal memory, spatial awareness, and reaction time.

Now, some pre-workout products market their products as also containing nootropics. Nootropics are sometimes referred to as smart drugs, and they are said to improve brain performance. 

The validity of these marketed benefits can be uncertain, however, and it is crucial to question if the claims of these products will actually benefit you at all. 

Still, some pre-workouts may have some elements that help reduce mental fatigue and so help you study

Recommended Reading: Can you learn without college?

How Many Hours is it Possible to Study in a Day?

The answer to this question is highly debatable for many people, and it can be hard to identify a single number to define just how much a student should study. But the consensus for most people who have answered this question is less than 8.6 hours. This number isn’t based on science, though, and everyone has their own opinion on the matter.

According to research conducted in Sweden, working for only 6 hours per day increases productivity. On the opposite end, working too much can be bad for your health. A study found that working over 50 hours a week can decrease productivity levels and harm your physical and mental health.

So if we use this number as the maximum amount that we can work during a week, this would equate to around 7 hours a day. 

This number seems to work for many students, especially college students, when preparing for exams or graduation. Still, this number will vary from one student to another, and various factors will need to be considered, as explained in the next section.

Recommended Reading: Can you learn without a teacher?

How Long is it Healthy to Study For?

Unfortunately, there is no magic number to aim for when it comes to how you should study. There are a variety of factors at play, and then everyone is also in different situations.

The amount of time will vary from day to day and person to person. So, we made a list of various factors that could help you determine how much studying you can do per day that is still healthy and will help you perform to the best of your abilities.

Recommended Reading: How to improve general knowledge

Your Mental Condition and Health

If you have a lot going on besides your studies, it will be hard to shift your focus on learning. Also, if you currently aren’t living the healthiest of lifestyles, it can have a detrimental effect on your ability to focus.

Everything is connected, so if you feel healthy both physically and mentally, you will excel in your studying efforts.

Over the long term, it is definitely worth focusing on improving your overall health to improve your ability to study. It may feel counterproductive to get a good night’s rest when you need to cram for an exam in 3 days. Still, getting enough sleep will allow you to actually absorb and understand more of what you are trying to learn.

How You Feel on a Particular Day

Sometimes, there are days when we just don’t feel like getting out of bed in the morning. Other times, we feel energized and ready to take on everything life throws at us. Because of this, we can find that studying for 7 hours is a piece of cake one day and then barely able to study for two hours the next day.

The Kind of Subject You’re Studying

Not all subjects are equal, and we all also differ when it comes to learning. You may be great at studying mathematical formulas but terrible at remembering anything that happened in history. Some things are just easier for you to learn and get your head around.

Keep this in mind as you study. Is the subject something you naturally have a knack for, or will you need to put in more effort?

To get better at studying challenging topics, aim to get a good overview of the subject and take more breaks during your study sessions. It likely won’t be possible to study very long as your focus lessens and your capacity to retain information is also more limited. 

Your Ability to Concentrate

As you continue learning and studying more, it turns into a habit. The longer you continue the habit of studying, the better and more efficient you become at it. 

You’ll also be used to concentrating for long periods, and you can probably study for longer periods when you need to. Depending on your stage with this habit, it can take longer to be able to concentrate for extended periods.

As a simple guideline, be sure to take proper breaks when you study. Once you start to feel unproductive or notice that nothing is being absorbed during your studies, you can give yourself a break. You can also try switching tasks, or you can even stop for the day.

Prior Obligations

These days, students take up a lot of other responsibilities apart from their studies, such as part-time jobs and student clubs. If other tasks take up your time apart from studying, then you’ll naturally have less time to spend studying.

While many of these factors take up various levels of priority, it’s best if you can create a study routine and work around your circumstances to make room for study time. You may also find it helpful if you try to build study habits.

It’s also understandable that some of the advice here may encourage you to procrastinate. Still, you have to fight the urge to do so. You can prevent that by setting a minimum amount of time for you to study. This can range from two to three hours since this seems like a reasonable time frame that everyone can devote to study time.

Can Studying Kill You?

It might be hard to believe, but yes, in a way, studying can potentially kill someone. Studying in itself won’t kill anyone, but it does come with negative consequences if not handled appropriately. Hours and hours of sitting, overstressing, poor health, and a lack of sleep are significant side effects of overstudying.

report published by CNN details how sitting for long hours can kill people, even if they exercise. Students will undoubtedly spend a lot of time on their desks, in the library, or by the coffee shop as they study for exams. While they may feel productive and happy that they can understand the subject at hand, this may not be beneficial in the long run.

According to experts, sitting for long periods may lead to Pulmonary Embolisms (P.E.), resulting in cardiac death. 

In other words, studying too much may cause blood clots to form in the body, where any kind of sudden movement might trigger death. So if you’re a student who hasn’t left your room or dorm to hang out with friends or play sports in a long time, you need to find a new routine.

how long to study

Why Does Studying Take So Long?

It can feel like it takes ages to make any progress while studying. It’s definitely demotivating to look at the clock and see you’ve been at it for hours yet still don’t understand or remember much. 

But the truth is, the problem typically isn’t that you don’t have enough time to study. Instead, it’s that you might not be studying effectively. Often, students spend a lot of time “studying” but are wasting time doing other things.

When you understand how memory and learning work, even at its most basic level, you’ll know how to build a better and effective study habit. In short, if you know how to study right, you’ll be able to learn more in less time. Read on below to find out how.

How Does the Learning Process Work?

Learning is a process in which people can get the skills and information needed for future recall and application. When you’re learning something, the brain is making a new connection between neurons. This happens when information enters the brain from sensory receptors, which hold on to details for less than a second.

Such information can take the form of text that you read or when your ears listen to music. Your skin can also pick up details in everything it touches, like a soft bed or sofa, while your nose can sense a new perfume. Finally, when you eat your favorite pizza, the taste receptors on your tongue are active too.

As a result, your brain is working and using most of its energy on processing information you don’t usually know about. Apart from that, the brain also keeps track of background processes of the body, such as hormone levels, blood oxygen saturation, osmotic pressure, blood pH, and more. 

Still, you’re asking your body to do even more than this, which is to study.

Your body works hard, so it’s vital to acknowledge how much it works and help your brain pay attention to what you need to learn. To help your brain stay attentive while studying, ensure that you limit distractions and make sure that you’re neither sleepy nor hungry since these are two of the biggest distractions. It also helps to manage stress, sleep enough, and to get some exercise.

Why are you Studying? (Why Study at All?)

There are various reasons why people choose to study. Here are just a few that you might consider to help keep you motivated.

  • To learn about something you are interested in
  • To be able to have the career you want
  • To make yourself proud
  • To make your parents proud
  • To ensure that you won’t have to take a particular class ever again
  • So you can earn the degree you want
  • So you can prove people wrong
  • To take full advantage of the privilege you’ve been given

There are many more reasons why you should keep studying, but regardless of what your reason may be, it’s always good to study. Learning is something that should never stop. 

Now that you have the answers to your questions, you’ll be able to face your studies head-on without worrying about how to go about it. If you already know the best study routine for you, then keep at it until you achieve your reasons for studying. We’re rooting for you!

Sources:

https://www.elitedaily.com/life/drink-alcohol-while-you-study/1213934

https://www.alcohol.org/effects/drinking-while-studying/

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1053810012000037

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7870897/

https://www.thoughtco.com/how-long-should-i-study-3974539

https://users.clas.ufl.edu/ufhatch/pages/02-teachingresources/study/

https://blogs.ubc.ca/communicatingscience2017w211/2018/01/29/studying-kills/

https://www.thecrimson.com/flyby/article/2011/5/5/out-studying-school-people/

https://www.tjsl.edu/the-jeffersonian/news/2012/02/how-studying-too-long-can-kill-you

https://edition.cnn.com/2017/09/11/health/sitting-increases-risk-of-death-study/index.html

https://www.theodysseyonline.com/40-reasons-to-keep-studying