The brain’s rejuvenating break

Even though the modern, busy lifestyle often makes it difficult, taking a break feels good. Our brain needs to recharge its batteries from time to time. Carving out moments for ourselves to “do nothing” is essential for our physical and mental well-being.

Breaks and boredom

There is a difference between a break and boredom. The first activity revitalizes us, while the second is a state of discomfort that does not cognitively engage us, during which we feel the need to do something else. Distinguishing which one we are experiencing is important: it helps us avoid filling time with easy but unchallenging activities (like scrolling through reels and posts on social media) just to stay busy. A true rejuvenating break requires concentrationWhat concentration really is and why it’s so hard to maint... More on the surrounding environment and physical rest, and is very similar to Mindfulness-type meditationThere are many ways to define meditation, but perhaps the si... More we often discuss.

What a resting brain does

As the organ that consumes the most energy in the human body (over 20% of the total), the brain is never truly “inactive,” even when it is not engaged in a specific task. When we are doing something, specific brain areas increase their activation according to the activity, as shown by MRI studies. But there are areas that not only remain active when doing nothing, but that are more active precisely when we are not engaged in a demanding or attention-requiring task.

Discovered in the late 1990s, this set of areas (including the posterior cingulate cortexThe posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) is a belt-shaped area l... More, prefrontal cortexThe prefrontal cortex plays a fundamental role in numerous p... More, precuneus, and angular gyrus) was named the default mode network. When we are awake but at rest, when we daydream and let our minds wander, the areas of the default mode network communicate continuously with each other. This is not mere brain “background noise.” Recent studies from Tel Aviv University have linked the network to creative thinking, and dysfunctions of the network have also been associated with mental illnesses or neurodivergences such as autism, attention deficits, epilepsy, anxietyAnxiety is an emotional response characterized by feelings o... More, depressionDepression is a disorder characterized by persistent sadness... More, and more.

 

 

The benefits of short breaks

Doing nothing from time to time is not only necessary but also beneficial. Some studies suggest that short but frequent breaks are the most effective way to recharge the proverbial brain batteries without slipping into boredom. A study published in the journal Cognition showed that participants who took regular 10-minute breaks while performing a task were more focused and achieved better results than those who worked without interruption.

Especially during longer workdays, short regular breaks (around 10 minutes every hour) reduce fatigue and improve mood, as highlighted by an analysis of studies published in PLoS One. LearningIl termine apprendimento - con i sinonimi imparare, assimila... More to schedule these “micro-breaks” should be part of daily planning. But it is important that they are true breaks, involving total inactivity, not just moments of distraction spent on something else. Even though they provide immediate dopamine gratification, they do not genuinely recharge our mental and physical energy, and our productivity does not benefit from them.

Effects of chronic fatigue

Resting often is important because the effects of constant activity should not be underestimated. A 2022 survey conducted by the University of Lausanne in Switzerland found that one in five people suffers from asthenia, a condition in which one feels perpetually low on physical and mental energy and which does not disappear after resting. The study, published in the British Medical Journal and conducted on 3,000 participants aged 45 and older, analyzed the possible causes of this widespread and persistent fatigue. These include organic disorders (hyperthyroidism and diabetes), lifestyle factors (excess weight, poor sleep quality and duration), and mental healthWhat is meant by mental health? According to the World Healt... More status (anxiety and depression).

When asthenia is particularly severe, disabling, and long-lasting, it is referred to as chronic fatigue syndrome, also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis or chronic fatigue syndrome. It is estimated to affect 1.3% of adults, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. However, the majority of people feeling tired most of the time at work are 36% of Generation Z and 30% of Millennials, according to a Deloitte survey.

The amount of cortisolThe adrenal glands, small pyramid-shaped glands above the ki... More, a hormone associated with stressWhat is stress? From a clinical perspective, stress is a phy... More, is higher in people affected by chronic fatigue. Excess cortisol over time can lead to brain shrinkage, with negative cognitive consequences. Considering all these possible causes for such a widespread problem, taking time to recharge is even more important. This can be done starting with small, frequent breaks throughout the day.