Why the brain needs to be given a "break"

For some vital functions, the brain must be at rest

Attention is one of the most valuable resources, and it is often barely enough for everything.
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A significant part of it is paid to work and social communications. The rest of the crumbs imperceptibly go on stimuli of one kind or another: listening to podcasts, watching various shows, etc. Many of us have thoughts to go free swimming only when we take a shower or try to sleep at night.

And it would seem: what's wrong with that? Why waste time on inaction when you can do something interesting or productive? If the mind is busy with a high-quality (mostly) product, what harm could it be?

“Studies in the field of learning theory provide an extremely clear picture,” said Lauren Frank, a professor at the Center for Integrative Neuroscience at the University of California (San Francisco). “For effective training, you need to take rest breaks at short intervals.”

The data from studies of learning abilities over and over again show that we remember the new information best when the brain has time to calmly transform and merge it. Even if we are not talking about learning, short breaks after the assimilation of a new material — for example, a news article or an important letter — help the brain to analyze and remember the information just received.

To better understand how the brain processes new information, Frank conducted experiments on brain scanning on rats . Together with his colleagues, he showed that if the rats were allowed to rest after passing through an unfamiliar labyrinth, their brain automatically reproduces the path traversed through the labyrinth. Later, finding themselves in the same maze, the rats overcome it faster.

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“We know that the brain can very quickly become dormant. Studies in the field of learning theory indicate that just a few minutes of such a state — from five to fifteen — help to better acquire new knowledge. ”

If, after passing through the maze, the rats are forced to immediately solve a new problem, their brain cannot reproduce the information just received. And later, when they are placed in the same maze, the rats do not overcome it faster than the first time.

The human brain, according to Frank, works in a similar way: "The brain needs free time to process new information and turn it into a more permanent form of knowledge."

How much time is required for this depends on the circumstances: “We know that the brain can very quickly become dormant. Studies in the field of learning theory indicate that just a few minutes of such a state — from five to fifteen — help to better acquire new knowledge. ” The amount of time it takes the brain to form a long-term memory appears to be individual, and also depends on the complexity of the information received by the person.

There is reason to believe that such “inaction” helps to start mental processes that are much more complicated than storing information and retrieving it from memory. Mary Helen Immordino-Young, a professor of educational, psychological and neurobiological sciences at the University of Southern California, explains: “Into a deeper state of reflection, in which you comprehend what is happening, connect with yourself, your self and integrate pieces of knowledge into a logical connected narration , the brain goes only when you are not focused on any particular activity at the moment. ”

According to her, if the brain continuously receives new stimuli or new information, it will be difficult for it to determine the expediency and semantic content of the knowledge gained. Because of such an overload, a sense of aimlessness can appear - and even worse: “We know that if a person is stuck in a stimulation cycle with a continuous stream of new data, this can be associated with a feeling of loss of control, isolation, anxiety and loss of a sense of reality of what is happening.”

At the same time, giving the brain a "rest", we, apparently, contribute to the manifestation of creative abilities and more effective problem solving. Jonathan Skuler, a professor of psychology and brain sciences at the University of California (Santa Barbara), actively studied “mind-wandering”: “Our research has shown that a certain type of productivity. " Sculler argues that overcoming deadlocks - including in cases that are called insights - often occurs when the human brain is “free-floating.”

"I think we need to recognize that the internal flow of thoughts in the brain can be valuable in itself."

He recalls a familiar problem to many, when one cannot recall a word that turns in a language, no matter how hard we try. But it is necessary to switch the brain to another task - and the word is immediately remembered. The professor explains it this way: "It seems to me that it is quite possible that when we" go into our thoughts, "there are some unconscious processes that result in the emergence of illumination on the surface."

It is also possible that depriving the brain of “free” time reduces its ability to perform such unconscious work: “I think we need to recognize that the internal flow of thoughts in the brain can have value in itself. We may lack "going to our thoughts" as well as lack of sleep. "

“Many of us find it difficult and even impossible not to do absolutely nothing,” adds Skuler and notes that “undemanding” activities that do not involve significant brain resources can help to solve this problem and stimulate productive “care in your thoughts”: , walking in silence, washing the dishes and laying out the laundry are small, routine matters that take up the hands and the body, but do not require the brain to strain.

Sometimes, “withdrawing into ourselves”, our brain can fall into useless and even unhealthy reflections, but this does not mean that protection from these thoughts through the constant presence of distracting factors is a good solution: “I think you need to find a balance between present employment and the time when you can allow your brain to “go into your thoughts” - as well as between positive thoughts and reflections on the obstacles that can stand in the way, ”concludes Sküler.

It is not known how much time is needed to leave the brain for unconstrained thinking in order to achieve an optimal balance. Immordino-Yang says about this that if in your case attempts to break away from the usual sources of mental stimulation require considerable effort, then there are reasons to believe that you need to give the brain more time to “free swimming”: “Just sitting and thinking is not the most exciting occupation, if the brain is unusual, but it is very important for good health. "

Frank recommends starting small - for example, you can take a 15-minute walk in the middle of the day, eliminating all the distractions: "It is possible you will notice how your perception of the world changes."

About the translator

The article is translated in Alconost.

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