Are you very much engaged with the topic of learning? Then you surely know that breaks are important for learning success. However, it was only in June 2021 that a fascinating experiment investigated brain waves during learning to question this thesis. We summarize what the results mean for training and coaching in the article.
The Spacing Effect: Learning with Breaks
Almost every trainer knows: Breaks are important. During breaks, our brain continues to work without us noticing. Therefore, good training is structured in such a way that learning takes place in short segments. Especially when learning new skills, the rule is: Practice – Break – Practice – Break.
You may also know the Spacing Effect (or Interval Effect): This states that we are more likely to forget things and events the longer they are in the past. Therefore, we should incorporate repetitions into our learning, ideally at increasingly larger intervals. In between, there are always breaks.
Especially in the modern working world, this effect is particularly relevant. Short learning phases with conscious breaks can be integrated into the daily work routine much more easily than long training sessions. This not only increases learning performance but also the willingness to continue learning regularly.
It was only recently proven in a study by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke from the USA that real learning through repetition occurs in the brain during these learning breaks. The study is Open Access, so you can read it completely here (in English) as a PDF. The title of the study: Consolidation of human skill linked to waking hippocampo-neocortical replay.
For those who want a shortcut: We explain the study in German and summarize what the results mean for trainers and coaches.
Summary of the Study
In the experiment, subjects were asked to type the digits 41324 on a keyboard as quickly and accurately as possible with one hand. They had 10 seconds of practice time followed by 10 seconds of break. You can imagine that this is a typical task that becomes easier with practice. The question is: What happens in the brains of the subjects during the break time?
To answer that, brain waves (in the hippocampus and neocortex) were measured throughout the entire time. The authors of the study presented the results in this very illustrative graphic:
Graphic open access, taken from cell.com: Summary of the study by Ethan R.Buch et al. (June 2021)
In the graphic, you can see that during the 10-second breaks, so-called “Micro-offline gains” occur: Although – or rather because – we do not practice during this time, our skill level increases during this break time. And significantly more than during the actual practice time! The brain imaging shows that during break time, several areas are working hard and repeating what has been learned (“Waking replay”).
One more note: The term is “Waking replay,” thus repetition in a waking state. It is known that we process experiences and learn in our sleep, and this has been found in other studies aside from the one mentioned here. This study specifically deals with breaks in a waking state.
Ideally, we use both daytime breaks and nightly sleep to consolidate what we've learned.
What We Can Learn from the Study for Training
How can you utilize the results of the study for your everyday life – especially as a trainer and organizer of trainings or coaching? On one hand, you should examine your training sessions specifically regarding breaks: How short are your learning units? How many breaks do your participants have? Roughly, you can remember: The more breaks, the better! This applies equally to in-person events as well as online trainings.
You utilize the study results best with Microlearning: With this learning method, breaks are practically pre-programmed. The aforementioned principle “Practice – Break – Practice – Break” fits perfectly with the Microlearning idea of learning in small bites.
On the other hand, this study also serves as further evidence that blended learning is better than purely in-person learning or purely online learning. Because here again, breaks are an essential part of the learning concept: Instead of an 8-hour day seminar, you split your learning content into in-person parts and e-learning content. This automatically incorporates breaks between learning segments.
The most suitable blended learning model is the Springer, in combination with micro-learning units. With this model, you ensure as many breaks as possible and learning over a longer period. It looks something like this:
The blended learning model “Springer”: Alternating in-person and online content.
Conclusion
Learning does not only happen during practice but especially during breaks when the brain processes and consolidates new information.
The results of the study clearly show that short learning phases with regular breaks are particularly effective. While we take breaks, the brain repeats what has been learned in the background, thereby further improving our skills.
For training and continuing education, this means an important consequence: Instead of planning long learning blocks without interruption, content should be deliberately divided into smaller units. Breaks are not lost time but a central part of the learning process.
Those who strategically combine learning phases, breaks, and repetitions create a learning structure that aligns with scientific findings and sustainably improves learning success.
Updated on 09.03.2026
