A Word Please

Do you think that daydreaming or staring blankly into space is a waste of time? According to a Newsweek article entitled The Hidden Brain, you’re actually working pretty hard while doing nothing. The brain’s default mode – those times when you’re sleeping, daydreaming, or otherwise allowing a black void to take temporary residence in your mind – consumes the bulk of your brain’s energy and activity.

Neuroscientists claim that your brain’s default mode does some pretty important stuff. Running in default prepares your brain for future events and emergencies. By spacing off now and then, you’re allowing your brain the time to learn to react more nimbly when confronted with real sensory information. Ducking away from that errant Frisbee on the beach or avoiding a kick from the overzealous drunk on the dance floor doesn’t just happen. These actions require lots of downtime, so that your brain can map out all these actions in advance and react appropriately.

There you have it. Newsweek and neuroscientists tell us that doing nothing is vital to our brain’s health. What better excuse do you need to kick back in that lawn chair and watch the clouds roll by?

Tags: brain default mode, brain neuroscience, daydreaming, the hidden brain