There has been much publicity about the
role relaxation plays in learning. Examples include the SuperLearning system and variations such as “The Mozart Effect.” Authors claim these systems provide incredibly high learning
performance in a relaxed state. Unfortunately there have not been clear
clinical studies that support the theory that relaxation induced by music
provides greatly increased learning performance.
There are particular reasons though why
you should incorporate relaxation (both physical and mental) into your learning
state.
Relaxation exercises improve concentration. Basic relaxation exercises before study can help clear the mind of
distractions and concerns.
Relaxation exercises reduce stress. Stress has
a direct impact on memory. While short-term stress doesn’t always degrade
learning new information, it does degrade recall of previously learned
information. Long-term excessive stress can also irreparably damage parts of
the brain used in learning new information.
If you feel stressed before or during a
study period, you may want to spend a few minutes doing a relaxation exercise.
You can also use these relaxation exercises to increase the effectiveness of
study breaks. Contrary to popular opinion though, doing specific relaxation
exercises if you already feel relaxed won’t significantly increase your
learning performance.
Relaxation exercises appear more useful
in lowering long-term stress. Consider making relaxation exercises part of your
daily routine, even if only for twenty minutes. Relaxation exercises can also
help you get to sleep faster.
Note that the exercises in this section
focus on physical relaxation. In the next section on mental learning state,
more exercises focus on mental relaxation. They support each other though. Combine
them and you get a better result. Let’s look at some types of physical
relaxation exercises:
Deep breathing. Deep
breathing involves abdominal breathing for 10-20 minutes. You take shorter
breaths in and longer breaths out. If you start to feel light-headed or get a
tingling sensation, you may be doing the cycle too fast. See the text box on
page 35 for an example.
Progressive Muscular Relaxation (PMR). PMR
involves progressively tensing and relaxing groups of muscles. The principle is
that if you tense a muscle and then let it go, it should be in a more relaxed
state. It is also easier to relax muscles this way instead of trying to detect
tense muscles and release them. The relaxation exercise example below also includes a
basic version of PMR.
Autogenics. Autogenics
is a relaxation skill that takes some time to learn (roughly three months), but
provides better and faster relaxation once mastered. It first involves learning
to produce a sense of limpness, heaviness and warmth in your body, and then
involves explicitly slowing your breathing and heart rate. The result is you
can deeply relax in only a few minutes, whenever you need it.
Sensory deprivation, for example float tanks. Rather
than being a passing fad, float tanks do have a significant amount of
controlled research backing up their marketed benefits. They greatly assist
relaxation. They also improve general health and performance. These tanks work
by removing as much physical stimulation as possible. They are usually
lightproof and soundproof, the temperature is typically at skin temperature,
and you float on a buoyant solution of water and Epsom salts. These conditions
can induce a deeper relaxation response than is possible using standard
relaxation techniques, although you can’t always use float tanks when you want
to! Float tanks can also provide you with a guide to what deep relaxation can
be like. This can improve your relaxation exercises outside the tank.
Massage. Massage
can also induce the relaxation response in many individuals, however it may not
always suit your study timing as it typically involves another person.
Biofeedback.
Biofeedback is a technology that has only become readily available to consumers
over the past few years. It involves using electronic equipment to provide you
with various biological statistics, such as heart rate, blood pressure, skin
temperature or muscle tension. Using this technology, you can train yourself to
understand how well your body is performing. Using this information you can
then influence body systems previously thought to be unconscious. This
technology is only just starting to become useful to the general population. Expect
to see more in the future.
