Why Your Brain Needs More Downtime

“Research on naps, meditation, nature walks and the habits of exceptional artists and athletes reveals how mental breaks increase productivity, replenish attention, solidify memories and encourage creativity. Downtime is in fact essential to mental processes that affirm our identities, develop our understanding of human behavior and instill an internal code of ethics. Downtime is an opportunity for the brain to make sense of what it has recently learned, to surface fundamental unresolved tensions in our lives and to swivel its powers of reflection away from the external world toward itself.” The mind also has the power to solve tough problems while daydreaming. Periodic time off of work can consistently replenish one’s ability and willingness to work, which made workers more productive in the end. The article encourages “workers to get seven to eight hours of sleep every night, to use all their vacation days, take power naps and many small breaks during the day, practice meditation, and tackle the most challenging task first thing in the morning so they can give it their full attention.” Naps can sharpen concentration and improve task performance for individuals who are well rested or sleep deprived. Spending time outdoors (preferably not by skyscrapers or city streets) can be equally restorative as a nap and help manage mental fatigue. Meditation can improve mental health, strengthen memory, and ones ability to concentrate. “Meditation appears to increase the volume and density of the hippocampus, a seahorse-shaped area of the brain that is absolutely crucial for memory; it thickens regions of the frontal cortex that we rely on to rein in our emotions; and it stymies the typical wilting of brain areas responsible for sustaining attention as we get older.”
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