Jump to content

Page:How To Learn Easily (Dearborn).djvu/226

From Wikisource
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
210
HOW TO LEARN EASILY

knowledge of the motivity of human behaviour and possibly might deny their humanity.

Plenty of sleep for a week or more before an examination is well worth whatever time it costs. Every hour so spent is worth at least treble what you might expect unless you understand the efficiency-advantage of rested brain-units over those that are fatigued. Sleep clears the cobwebs out of the brain and memory, so that the nine billions or so of neurons can work in association far better than when they are fatigued.

General invigoration of the entire organism greatly improves the memory and the reasoning powers. Therefore much outdoor exercise is especially highly expedient during the few weeks before examination-time. In this way we tone up the whole organism and put it, as the athletes say, "on edge." At examination time it is desirable that the digestive tract be in good working order. Thus we may avoid that feeling of toxemic headache and general malaise which is incompatible with clear thinking and with accurate work.

A light breakfast or a light lunch of easily digested food is necessary before an examination, on the physiological principle that the blood, which