How to study effectively, what the research says works

Put the highlighter down. Rereading and highlighting feel productive, but a major review of study techniques rated both as low value [1]. Testing yourself and spreading your revision out came out on top.

That's the short answer to how to study effectively. Use active recall, space your sessions, protect your sleep and keep your phone out of reach. Here's what the research found for each, and a simple plan to start with this week.

What is the most effective way to study?

Start with the techniques that have the strongest evidence. A 2013 review by five learning researchers rated 10 popular study techniques on how well they work across ages, subjects and types of test [1].

The authors' advice was simple. Use practice testing instead of rereading [1].

How do you use active recall?

Close the book and pull the answer out of your head. Researchers call this the testing effect. A 2014 meta-analysis found that testing yourself on material helped people remember it better than studying it again, and recalling an answer from memory helped more than picking it from a list [2].

Try one of these.

• Write everything you remember about a topic on a blank page, then check your notes for gaps.
• Make flashcards with the question on one side and the answer on the other.
• Do past papers in the set time, which the NHS also suggests for getting used to the exam [3].

Our memory techniques guide covers more ways to make facts stick.

How far apart should revision sessions be?

Further apart than feels natural. A review of 317 experiments found spaced sessions beat cramming, and the longer you need to remember something, the longer the gap that worked best [4]. A 2025 review of 22 reports of classroom studies, with over 3,000 students, found a moderate benefit for spacing over massed study [5].

So revise a topic, come back to it a day or two later, then again a week later. Short sessions spread over weeks beat one long one the night before.

Should you mix topics when revising?

Sometimes. Mixing different types of problem in one session helped most with visual material, such as telling art styles apart, and somewhat with maths. For learning lists of words, sticking to one topic at a time worked better [6]. The NHS suggests mixing up your subjects across the day so you don't get bored [3].

In practice, mix question types in maths and science. Keep vocabulary lists in blocks.

How do you stay focused while studying?

Move your phone. In a review of 29 studies with over 48,000 students, problematic smartphone use was linked with lower grades, although the link was small [7]. Out of sight, in another room, is the easy fix.

Take regular short breaks, too. The NHS says hours of studying without a break will only make you tired and hurt your concentration [3]. In a 2026 trial of 176 university students, fixed Pomodoro breaks and breaks students chose themselves led to the same test results, but students who chose their own breaks reported better mood and concentration [8]. Our guides to the Pomodoro technique and deep work cover both styles.

How much sleep before an exam?

Protect the whole week, not just the night before. In a study of 88 college chemistry students who wore sleep trackers, better and longer sleep over the month and week before a test was linked with better grades. Sleep on the single night before a test wasn't [9]. That's an association, not proof that sleep caused the grades.

Skip the all-nighter. A meta-analysis of 50 years of studies found that a full night without sleep harmed memory for new material, with a larger effect when the sleep was lost before learning than after it. Many of the studies were small [10]. Our guide to how much sleep you need has the amounts by age.

Watch the late coffee. A review of 24 studies worked out that a 107 mg coffee should be finished at least 8.8 hours before bed to avoid losing sleep [11]. The calculator below works from how quickly the body clears caffeine, so a stronger drink gives an earlier time.

How do you cope with exam stress?

Prepare well, keep moving and talk to someone. The NHS says being well prepared is the best way to beat exam stress, and suggests doing something active when you're not revising [3]. A 2022 review of 15 studies found exercise eased students' test anxiety, with about 20 minutes of aerobic exercise 2 to 3 times a week for at least 4 weeks. A single 10 to 15 minute session didn't help [12].

On the day, the NHS suggests a breathing exercise if you feel overwhelmed. Breathe in for 4 counts, hold for 2 and breathe out for 7 [3]. Our breathing exercises guide has more. If stress keeps building, talk to someone you trust, such as a family member, teacher or friend [3].

How to make a study plan

One change at a time is enough. Build your plan in five steps.

1. List every topic and the days you have left, then break the work into small chunks [3].
2. Give each chunk a first session, then come back to it after a gap, and again after a longer one [4].
3. Start every session by testing yourself, and only reread what you got wrong [1].
4. Put your phone in another room and take short breaks [3][7].
5. Keep the same bedtime all week, exam week included [9].

Pick the step you're furthest from and start it tomorrow.

Frequently asked questions

How many hours a day should you study?

The NHS suggests aiming for a few hours of revision each day, broken into manageable chunks with regular short breaks [3].

What are the best revision techniques for GCSEs?

Testing yourself and spacing sessions out were rated the most useful techniques across ages and subjects [1]. The NHS also suggests timed past papers [3].

Is it better to study in silence or with music?

It depends on you. The NHS says a quiet room suits some people, while others prefer quiet music in the background [3].

Should you revise the night before an exam?

A short recap is fine, but don't stay up all night. A full night without sleep before learning harmed memory in studies [10].

What are good snacks for studying?

There's no proven study snack. We didn't find a trial showing that a particular snack improves exam results. The NHS suggests a good breakfast on exam day and a bottle of water in the exam [3].

How do you motivate yourself to study?

Start small and make a plan. Our motivation guide covers the steps with the best evidence.

Read more about focus in our Pomodoro technique guide.

References

Every source here is listed so you can read it yourself. This guide is for general information and doesn't replace advice from your GP. We check it again at least every six months.

1. Dunlosky J, Rawson KA, Marsh EJ, Nathan MJ, Willingham DT (2013). Improving Students' Learning With Effective Learning Techniques: Promising Directions From Cognitive and Educational Psychology. Psychological Science in the Public Interest 14(1): 4-58. PMID 26173288
2. Rowland CA (2014). The effect of testing versus restudy on retention: a meta-analytic review of the testing effect. Psychological Bulletin 140(6): 1432-63. PMID 25150680
3. NHS. Tips on preparing for exams. Page last reviewed 24 October 2023. Accessed 1 November 2026. nhs.uk
4. Cepeda NJ, Pashler H, Vul E, Wixted JT, Rohrer D (2006). Distributed practice in verbal recall tasks: A review and quantitative synthesis. Psychological Bulletin 132(3): 354-80. PMID 16719566
5. Mawson RD, Kang SHK (2025). The Distributed Practice Effect on Classroom Learning: A Meta-Analytic Review of Applied Research. Behavioral Sciences 15(6): 771. PMID 40564553
6. Brunmair M, Richter T (2019). Similarity matters: A meta-analysis of interleaved learning and its moderators. Psychological Bulletin 145(11): 1029-1052. PMID 31556629
7. Paterna A, Alcaraz-Ibáñez M, Aguilar-Parra JM, Salavera C, Demetrovics Z, Griffiths MD (2024). Problematic smartphone use and academic achievement: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Behavioral Addictions 13(2): 313-326. PMID 38669081
8. Göksu A, Wiradhany W, de Bruin ABH (2026). When to Take a Break: Comparing Effects of Systematic Short (Pomodoro) and Self-Regulated Breaks on Subjective Experience and Actual Learning. Behavioral Sciences 16(7): 1158. PMID 42510279
9. Okano K, Kaczmarzyk JR, Dave N, Gabrieli JDE, Grossman JC (2019). Sleep quality, duration, and consistency are associated with better academic performance in college students. npj Science of Learning 4: 16. PMID 31583118
10. Newbury CR, Crowley R, Rastle K, Tamminen J (2021). Sleep deprivation and memory: Meta-analytic reviews of studies on sleep deprivation before and after learning. Psychological Bulletin 147(11): 1215-1240. PMID 35238586
11. Gardiner C, Weakley J, Burke LM, Roach GD, Sargent C, Maniar N et al. (2023). The effect of caffeine on subsequent sleep: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Sleep Medicine Reviews 69: 101764. PMID 36870101
12. Zhang X, Li W, Wang J (2022). Effects of Exercise Intervention on Students' Test Anxiety: A Systematic Review with a Meta-Analysis. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 19(11): 6709. PMID 35682293