How to improve your memory and understanding when studying

Picture this: You have an exam in a week and several chapters to cover. You decide to sit down for one long study session, hoping to absorb all the material at once.

After hours of studying, your brain feels exhausted, but when you try to recall the information, it’s like you didn’t even study.

Sound familiar?

This happens because our brains can only process so much information at once.

Cramming forces your brain to handle more than it can effectively store, which makes it difficult to retain anything long-term.

This is where spaced repetition can be a game changer.

Why cramming doesn’t work and how spaced repetition helps

When you cram, your brain experiences information overload - it’s trying to process too much in a short period, leading to frustration and poor recall.

Spaced repetition breaks your study into smaller, manageable chunks over several days, giving your brain the time it needs to process and store information effectively.

You study less at once but remember more in the long run.

Instead of trying to absorb everything in one go, you review the same material multiple times over several days.

For example, study a chapter today, review it tomorrow, and again a few days later. Each time you revisit the material, you strengthen your memory.

This way, you avoid feeling overwhelmed and are better prepared come exam day.

Why you forget and how to fix it

Another common issue is blanking during exams, even after multiple readings.

This happens because the information we are trying to retrieve (or recall) is nowhere to be found in the place it should be stored: long-term memory. 

Common study practices, like reading from a textbook, are not enough to move information into long-term memory.

You need to engage with the material actively, and spaced repetition helps you do just that.

Spaced repetition forces you to actively recall information at intervals. This retrieval practice strengthens your memory, making it easier to remember key facts during exams.

Reviewing a concept today, again in two days, and then a week later primes your brain for better recall when it matters most.

The power of spaced repetition during exam season

So, what exactly is spaced repetition? Simply put, it’s a study technique where you revisit information at specific intervals, rather than trying to cram it all at once.

The idea is to review material before you’re likely to forget it, strengthening your memory and improving retention over time.

But why does spaced repetition work? To answer that, let’s take a look at the forgetting curve.

This concept, developed by psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus, explains how quickly we forget information if we don’t review it. 

After just one day, you might forget up to 50% of what you learned. After a week, you could forget up to 80%.

However, each time you review the information, you reinforce the memory, making it harder to forget.

Spaced repetition is designed to combat this natural decline by scheduling reviews of the material before your brain has a chance to forget it.

The science behind spaced repetition

Spaced repetition isn’t just about reviewing information; it’s about strengthening your neural connections.

Every time you retrieve information from memory, you reinforce the neural pathways associated with that knowledge. The more often you recall the information at spaced intervals, the stronger these pathways become, making it easier for you to access that memory later.

Another key factor is active recall. Spaced repetition involves actively trying to remember something, rather than simply reading it again.

This effortful recall process forces your brain to engage with the material, which helps cement it in your memory. Studies show that learning is more effective when study sessions are spaced out over time, a phenomenon known as the spacing effect.

By spacing out your reviews, you encourage your brain to work harder to recall the information, ultimately improving memory retention.

And perhaps one of the most important reasons spaced repetition works is because it helps you avoid cognitive overload. When you cram, your brain becomes overwhelmed with too much information in a short time.

Spaced repetition, on the other hand, gives your brain the breathing room it needs to process and store information effectively, without the mental exhaustion that comes with cramming.

How to use spaced repetition

Here’s how to make spaced repetition part of your study routine:

Step 1: Learn the basics

• Spaced repetition: Review information at increasing intervals (1 day, 3 days, 1 week, etc.) to strengthen memory before forgetting occurs.
• Distributed practice: Spread study sessions over days or weeks to boost long-term retention.

Step 2: Organize your material

• Break topics into smaller sections.
• Prioritize difficult material for more frequent review.
• Use tools like flashcards or quizzes for quick recall sessions.

Step 3: Follow a review schedule

• Day 0: The day you learn or study a new material or topic.
• Day 1: 1st repetition: Review day one material.
• Day 3: 2nd repetition: Review again.
• Day 7: 3rd repetition: Final review.
• Day 16: Final review

Adjust the intervals based on how easily you remember the material. Harder topics need more frequent review, while easier topics can be spaced out further.

The bottom line

Spaced repetition helps you learn more effectively without the stress of cramming. By spacing your study sessions and revisiting material at key intervals, you’ll retain information better and reduce exam anxiety.

Make it part of your routine to study smarter, not harder.

By adopting spaced repetition, you’re not only preparing better for exams but also building a stronger foundation for long-term learning success.