Expert warns against 'candle studying trend' as it could do more harm than good
![Students are using candles as indicators of how long to study for (Image: Getty Images)](/upload/news/2023/03/14/27653.jpg)
It's no shock with the sheer amount of information spread through TikTok that it's not all going to be good for you, despite a third of teens believing they learn more on the app than in school.
TikTok's latest obsession is Candle Study, which has over 16.3 million views, showing students lighting candles before embarking on a study session.
It may seem like an innocent trend, but it turns out students are actually using candles as an indicator of how long they should study for. Students are challenging themselves to not stop studying until their candles run out, which could be hours later.
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![Expert warns against 'candle studying trend' as it could do more harm than good eiqrkihxixtinv](https://i2-prod.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article29454702.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/0_Student-sat-at-desk-in-bedroom-looking-at-phone.jpg)
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The idea is that the student must concentrate for extended periods, with the candle acting as a tangible marker for how long they've studied for and how long is left. It works exactly the same as a timer, just with an aesthetic angle that is utterly TikTok-able.
Videos of time-lapse studying, all sped up, make it seems like this amount of concentration isn't impossible to achieve, but teacher Anna Masterson has warned against this method.
She believes candle study is "a recipe for burnout" as it goes against guidance for breaks and healthy learning, which students are given in classrooms for good reason.
As candles are designed to burn for as long as possible, this leads to students attempting to study for on average four to six hours in one sitting - one TikToker said they had lasted 12 hours doing the trend.
Anna, the chief learning officer at Atom Learning, said: "Although it may be tempting for students to exert themselves over many hours, burning out poses the real risks of losing enjoyment, motivation and memory, as well as a decrease in cognitive functioning.
"All of this harms students' learning process and overall wellbeing – not to mention undoing all of the hard work they've put in so far."
The candle method is a form of timed exercise, which Anna adds that "research suggests is effective for many learners" but does not allow for breaks or healthy study times."
However, "it is possible to have too much of a good thing" and studying for this long, uninterrupted isn't the winning revision technique TikTok wants you to believe it is.
Anna explained: "Our brains require proper, regular breaks to retain information, so four or five hours in a single uninterrupted session will be excessive for most people. Rather than using arbitrary measurements or competing with a candle, it's better for students to maximise shorter but more focused time with their studies.
"In fact, a single session need not last for more than 45 minutes at a time for 12-years-olds and above. It is important for parents to help children form healthy learning habits from an early age, so that they can figure out and have confidence in the methods that work for them.
![Striking teacher forced to take a second job to pay bills ahead of mass walkout](/upload/news/2023/02/01/56_m.jpg)
"Sharing and learning from others can be helpful at times, but kids should look at the content online with a critical eye, not compare themselves or be distracted by what looks appealing but doesn't actually work."
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