Studying techniques with ADHD

 Students with ADHD can face alot of struggles memorizing and coping up with studies. This blog is dedicated for students with ADHD showcasing different studying techniques. 84% of students study by re-reading the textbook. The problem is that re-reading a text is the most ineffective way of studying for an exam. Reading is challenging for a person with Attention Deficit hyperactivity disorder ( ADHD or ADD) to learn information. 

Cramming doesn't work: Suppose there are twin brothers named A and B. A studied 3 hours on the night before exam. He read his notes and studied in his room. B studied for 3 hours for four evenings. He used study guide, notes, old quizzes. We can see that B used a studying technique "Distributed practice". He ddin't cram but he studied for 45 minites each day for 4 days. It helped B to reivew the study material several times. Secondly, he got proper sleep everyday. During sleep you replay the day's events during in your head and go through the information you learned. A skipped his evening soccer match to study for the exam on next day. But soon his phone,tablet, laptop got him off task. Whereas B knew that to get over boredom he needs shorter time for each study session to be effective. In the end we find out that it wasn't A who needed more time but he needed to use his time differently.

Some research based studying tips are given below for students suffering from ADHD: 

1.Review your notes before bed: Studies show that if you take 10-15 mins to review your notes before bed he is able to process the information as he sleeps.

2. Exercise sharpens Brain: 30 minutes of aerobic exercise each day improves focus and executive functioning skills, especially in students with ADHD. If the students doesn't play a sport encourage him to play with a pet dog or have a walk around outside before sitting for school work.  

3. Napping, Breaks and memory: Most people need 7-8 hours of sleep every night to retain memories. 30 minute naps in the afternoon can be helpful. Taking breaks can help student to remember more. Studies show that students can remember more if they study with breaks between the study sessions instead of studying straight for extended period.

Sip a sweet drink: A drink containing sugar provides glucose, which is the primary source to fuel the brain. If your're low on glucose you won't be able to focus or perform well. Homemade juices, Gatorade or apple juices delivers glucose. Sodas and other drinks with high levels of sugar provide too much glucose which results in impairing memory and clouding thinking. So it is better to avoid soda and carbonated drink.

Therefore, encouraging students who struggle with attention to study with above mentioned methods is a kind way to help. :)