If you are struggling at work to recall tasks and information, this technique might help you a lot! Studies show that wakeful rest improves memory. Learn how to practice wakeful rest and who benefits from it the most.
Wakeful rest is a short period of 5 to 20 minutes when you are awake but not doing anything mentally demanding or stimulating.
What to do when you want to take a break
Wakeful rest is different from sleep. It is also different from scrolling through your phone, watching TV, working, or deliberately trying to solve a problem. The important idea is to give your brain a period with minimal interference.
What is Wakeful Rest?
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Sit on a bench and watch pigeons in a park.
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Take a walk without your phone and let your mind wander.
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Sit on a sofa and look out of the window.
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Lie down, but do not fall asleep.
What Are the Effects of Wakeful Rest?
Wakeful rest may:
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Reduce forgetting after learning new information.
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Support longer-term memory.
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Be useful for difficult-to-remember information.
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Help to process emotions.
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Reduce some intrusive memories.
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Help you feel mentally refreshed.
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Support better sleep.
For example, after a meeting where you learned a lot of new information, you could spend 10 minutes sitting quietly in a park instead of immediately checking your phone. This period of minimal interference may help your brain consolidate the new information.
Who Benefits from Wakeful Rest the Most?
Studies suggest that the greatest memory benefits may be seen in:
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Older adults.
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People with anterograde amnesia.
A smaller effect was noticed in younger healthy adults.
How to Wakefully Rest
After studying, reading, attending a lecture, or learning something important, take a short break instead of immediately moving to another activity.
Avoid filling the break with another mentally demanding task. Put your phone aside, skip work, games, or social media.
For about 5 to 20 minutes, sit or lie somewhere comfortable. Reduce distractions. You can close your eyes if you prefer.
Do not deliberately rehearse what you just learned. Just rest!
Helpful Tools
The simplest version requires almost nothing: learn something, put distractions away, and spend a few minutes doing nothing.
A comfortable chair, a quiet room, or a low-stimulation outdoor space may also make it easier to remain undisturbed.
A simple timer can tell you when your rest period is over without requiring you to watch the clock.
Read Next:
Scientific and Other Sources:
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Ackah et al., 2026. How is wakeful rest operationalized and measured in daily life among adults with and without long-term conditions? A systematic scoping review. PM&R
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Hørlyck et al., 2019. Wakeful rest compared to vigilance reduces intrusive but not deliberate memory for traumatic videos. Scientific Reports.
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Hudachek& Wamsley, 2024. Consolidation of emotional memory during waking rest depends on trait anxiety. Neurobiology of Learning and Memory.
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Lamp et al.,2019. Exercise, nutrition, sleep, and waking rest? Sleep.
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Martini et al., 2022. Wakeful resting and listening to music contrast their effects on verbal long-term memory in dependence on word concreteness. Cognitive Research: Principles and Implications.
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Parra et al., 2026. Should we all just take 10? A meta-analysis of wakeful rest. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review.
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Weng et al., 2025. Effects of wakeful rest on memory consolidation: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review.
Written by Science Writer Vladislava Sukhanovskaya
FAQs
1. What is wakeful rest?
Wakeful rest is a short period when you remain awake but avoid mentally demanding or stimulating activities. It usually lasts about 5–20 minutes.
2. Can wakeful rest improve memory?
Research suggests that wakeful rest after learning can reduce forgetting and support longer-term memory consolidation.
3. How do you practice wakeful rest?
After learning something, put away your phone and avoid work, games, social media, or other demanding activities. Sit or lie comfortably for 5–20 minutes and simply rest.
4. Should I think about what I learned while resting?
No deliberate rehearsal is necessary. The goal is to minimize interference rather than actively review the information.
5. Who may benefit most from wakeful rest?
Studies suggest that older adults and people with anterograde amnesia may experience particularly strong memory benefits. Effects have also been observed in healthy younger adults, although they may be smaller.
Summary
Wakeful rest means spending 5–20 minutes awake with minimal mental stimulation after learning. Research suggests that these quiet breaks may reduce forgetting and support memory consolidation, with particularly notable benefits reported in older adults and people with anterograde amnesia. Instead of checking your phone or starting another task, try sitting quietly, taking a low-stimulation walk, or simply looking out the window.