Yale researcher, Tamas Horvath, has discovered an interesting side effect of having an empty stomach... at least in rats.
Comparative Psychology is a field in which we study animal behavior to "compare" it to human behavior. In other words, studying animal behavior often helps us understand human behavior.
According to Horvath, empty stomachs produce Ghrelin, a hormone that "enhances learning in the short term, at least in rats. Ghrelin speeds communication in the hippocampus, a brain region associated with spatial memory."
The operant phrase is, "enhances learning."
We know that getting a good night's sleep before a test helps memory. Maybe you should get a good night's sleep and skip breakfast the day of your next test?
Something else rat research has told us about learning is that rats perform best on tasks when the temperature is 55 degrees.
So, get a good night's sleep, skip breakfast, and ask the professor to turn down the thermostate in the classroom for your next test.
Let me know how that works for you.
February 19, 2010
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15 comments:
Ok, getting a good night sleep works for me. Skipping breakfast does not help because then I worry more about being humgry then the test. If it is too cold, it doesnt help me. Everyone is different.
Lol, I usually skip breakfast so I guess I'm doing good. Let's see how I do on my next test in my 8 o'clock class.
This works for me! Ive always skipped breakfast before an important meeting, test, etc. In addition, I set my thermostat at home below 60...there's nothing like waking up to a cold house to get you going in the morning!
Georgia Sparks
General Psych
This works for me to! I dont eat before a test either, I just study before the class. It usually works for me..well in my nutrition and counseling class it does. I study for your tests maybe I should try something else?
Mariah Norwood
Developmental
i dont agree completely with this study...personally if i skip a meal im more worried about the bear like growling coming from my stomache than focusing on the right answers on the tests. but please dont turn the thermostat down to 55 i will have to wear a parka! thanks!
Sarah Raunikar
I am not to sure I agree with this either. On top of my stomach growling I usually get so bad of a headache that I just can't think.
I like this theory. I'm absolutely going to try it before the next test. I will let you know how it goes. Hope I get an A. I would like to read further into this research.
Niki Pack
I could do the skipping breakfast as long as my test are at 8:00 in the morning, if not I get like Katherine and get a headache then I get sick and dry heave. Not sure that would be a good thing. I cant do the 55 degree's things cause i get cold when its under 75 and all I can think about is being cold.
Getting a good nights rest does work but I don't know about the whole eating issue. I have to eat breafast or I'm sluggish. To each their own.
A good nights sleep does help me a lot the next morning when i have a test. Sometimes though i stay up all night studying and never go to sleep until after i take the test. Sometimes it helps me remmember everything thats on the test.
Getting sleep and skipping breakfast has worked for me before. But you still need to study. But about the 55 degrees im not really sure.
Javier Olazagasti
General Psyc
This goes against everything i have ever thought haha. In nutrition they throw out stats with learning and eating breakfast and everything points to a good breakfast in the learning helps focus. This might be a little different for tests, but for me i need to eat. If i don't i won't be able to focus on the questions asked.. also omega-3 helps :)
If I don't get breakfast and no sleep I don't function it's almost impossible for me so the 55 degrees just wouldn't help at all.
personally the 55 degrees isn't something I would like! The skipping breakfast and a good nights sleep does seem to work for me though! I never get up in time for breakfast!
I don't think this is true frankly, I can remember a test I took on an empty stomach. I did nothing but, think about food as my stomach growled to put something in it. I was so hungry and nervous acting it didn't work out for me I actually got a D on that test and it wasn't because, I didn't study. I took several notes and study everyday, but not eating got the best of me and if its cold well forget taking a test cause I would freeze to death.
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