Let us pause for a moment and observe the gentle flow of these words before our eyes, this silent back-and-forth and the voice that reads them in our head . How many of them will remain etched in your memory in five minutes? And how many will remain, effortlessly, in our memory tomorrow? The question is not trivial. We live in an age where speed dominates the way we learn and, paradoxically, also the way we forget.

Not all words are processed at the same rate. You may have heard that a person can read between 200 and 300 words per minute, listen to about 150, or read even less by touch in braille. But this speed does not equate to comprehension: in fact, beyond 500 words per minute, assimilation drops drastically. And is what is absorbed truly retained? Not necessarily. Avidly devouring words is not the same as absorbing their essence.

Different memories in one

For words to take on their full meaning and transform into lasting ideas or concepts, they must first pass through the fragile and ephemeral space of working memory , also known as short-term memory, which is responsible for keeping information active while the brain processes it. But that’s not enough.

For what is remembered to stabilize, the information must be stored in some type of semantic, affective, spatial, or temporal memory . Remembering a vacation involves an episodic memory, tinged with emotion and place; on the other hand, knowing that the capital of Italy is Rome refers to a semantic memory , devoid of personal context.

By hand or on the keyboard?

It is difficult today to find a space where the keyboard has not almost entirely replaced ink or graphite. However, it is worth remembering that handwriting remains a powerful tool for cognitive development  : writing by hand activates a broader network of brain regions (motor, sensory, affective, and cognitive) than typing. The latter, more efficient in terms of speed, requires fewer neural resources, and promotes passive participation of working memory.

In contrast, active use of short-term memory (using non-digital tools) has been shown to be more beneficial both in the classroom and in clinical settings related to cognitive deterioration .

Breaks are sacred

Pacing and pauses are also crucial in this transition from working memory to long-term memory. Active pauses , those brief moments when we interrupt our study to stretch, walk, or contemplate something without an immediate goal, allow the brain to reorganize what has been learned and consolidate it more firmly.

However, today, these breaks are often associated with activities involving the use of screens  : cell phones, television, tablets. If we could make a comparison with physical exercise, we could imagine ourselves in a gym where we run at 12 km/h during the breaks between sets. Something very similar happens when we use our breaks to watch quick videos, read headlines, or browse social media aimlessly: the mind doesn’t rest, it doesn’t consolidate, and attention becomes fragmented.

Work while sleeping

Neuroscience also highlights the crucial role of sleep in memory consolidation. During slow-wave sleep , the brain enters a state of neuronal synchronization characterized by the predominance of delta waves (0.5-4 Hz), which promote the reactivation of memory traces – traces that remain in the mind after an experience and serve as the basis for memory and the ability to remember.

These slow oscillations create a low-sensory interference environment that facilitates dialogue between the hippocampus and the neocortex . In particular, theta waves (4-8 Hz), more frequent during the REM (Rapid Eye Movement) phase and also present in the mild NREM (Non-Rapid Eye Movement) phases, have been observed to be involved in this transfer. More precisely, they allow the passage of memories from their temporary storage in the hippocampus to the long-term storage cortical regions .

Slow-wave sleep on an electroencephalogram. Wikimedia , CC BY

Similarly, sleep spindles , brief patterns of brain activity that occur during light sleep, generated primarily by the thalamus, are associated with the strengthening of relevant neural connections.

Various studies using polysomnography and neuroimaging have shown correlations between the density of these sleep spindles and performance in episodic memory tasks.

It has been suggested that these oscillations act as a kind of “relevance marker” that selects information worthy of consolidation.

Thus, while we sleep, the brain automatically performs a process of reorganizing and strengthening memory. It prioritizes what is significant and eliminates what is irrelevant. It is no coincidence that, upon waking, a seemingly insignificant melody or phrase effortlessly returns to our mind: these are the echoes of this meticulous nighttime work that writes memory.

Getting back into good habits

Understanding how we learn also reveals how we should live. It’s not just about reducing screen use, but also about returning to a more human rhythm. Writing by hand helps activate deep neural networks; think, for example, of notes taken in class and how, upon rereading them, ideas resurface more clearly.

On the other hand, it is recommended to get back into the habit of taking real breaks, away from devices: observing the flight of a bird, feeling its breathing, stretching your body.

It is also helpful to reinforce what you have learned with brief active recovery exercises .

Furthermore, the role of deep sleep should not be underestimated: it is there that memory matures and fixes what has been learned. Only when we give it the necessary time to rest and assimilate does knowledge truly take root. Thus, the words he reads today can become living memories, capable of accompanying him beyond the next five minutes, perhaps even for the rest of his life.

Author Bio: Maria del Valle Varo García is a Research Assistant Professor at the Universidad de Deusto