Solving Sleep

Sometimes it can feel like no matter how many times you go over study materials, it just feels impossible to really get to grips with it. Turns out, there are tips and tricks to learning that can help us all - from memorising a formula to feeling comfortable with a complicated policy. This week we speak to New York Times best-selling author Professor Barbara Oakley. We cover what is actually happening in our brains when we learn something, and how we can use that knowledge to adapt our revision strategies to better retain complex information. Plus, how learning a language and learning how to do maths are actually more similar than you might first think. This is On Your Marks. Because you’ll never know until you try.

Managing our screen time can be really tough for many of us. With laptops on our desks, phones in our pockets, and TVs on at the end of the day, it’s easy to see how our relationship with the internet and technology can get really complicated, especially when we need to use those same devices to work or study. This week we sit down with Professor Phil Reed from Swansea University. He’s a psychologist who has spent years trying to understand the ways in which technology and the internet affects the way we think, feel, and behave. We dig into what it actually means to be addicted to technology, what’s happening in our brains when we get a notification, and some tips we can all try to improve our relationships with our phones. This is On Your Marks. Because you’ll never know until you try.

When we’re stressed out or feeling tired, it can be really hard to prioritise one of the activities we always hear about being good for us – exercise! But it turns out, exercising it not only good for our bodies, but for our brains too. This week we speak to neuroscientist Professor Sandrine Thuret from Kings College London. She’s an expert in all the ways exercise can boost our brains – from growing new neurons to improving our mental health. We dig into how exercise can both enhance your learning and memory skills and help protect your brain from dementia, and why choosing a form of working out that you really enjoy is all part of the process. This is On Your Marks. Because you’ll never know until you try.

Whether it’s revising for exams, juggling work deadlines, or trying to stay on top of an endless to-do list, we all know how difficult it can be to stay productive without burning out. So how can we work with our brains instead of against them? This week we speak to neuroscientist and bestselling author Dean Burnett about the science of productivity. We explore the surprising benefits of stress, the truth about multitasking, and why 4am routines aren’t for everyone. We also discuss how our brains respond to pressure, why maths and numbers can sometimes feel intimidating, and offer practical tips on how you can build healthier, more sustainable ways of working. This is On Your Marks. Because you’ll never know until you try. Hit follow now so you never miss an episode, and let us know what you think by leaving a rating or review.

Whether it’s sticking to a healthy meal plan, squeezing in some studying before work, or keeping up a gym routine, we all know that some habits are easier to pick up than others. So how can we leverage that to achieve our learning goals? This week we speak to self-development expert Scott Young. He’s a Wall Street Journal bestselling author and he’s obsessed with finding new and better ways for us to learn and think better. We dig into tips and tricks for making habits stick, as well as why being stressed can make that so much harder, and how we can all use habit-forming-hacks to make the most of our time. This is On Your Marks. Because you’ll never know until you try.