Brain Fatigue
An article in today’s New York Times reports on the ways that being constantly online can affect cognition. More and more research has shown that learning depends on not only on spending time with new material, but also on having downtime.
Researchers have long suspected that some form of downtime is crucial for memory consolidation – it’s one theory of why we have to sleep. Other research suggests that even time spent on alternative activities can facilitate creating new memories.
If you think about, it makes sense that your brain needs periods of rest, just like other parts of your body. Although all the details haven’t been found, sustained attention to new material (reading a textbook, learning a new skill like tennis, or learning how to edit photographs on the computer) probably evokes change in brain chemistry, and certainly involves changes in how your brain uses energy molecules like glucose.
How long can you go without a recharge. You can probably figure that your for yourself – if you pay attention to the warning signs of fatigue. But if you’re constantly distracted by your smart phone or computer, you may neglect those warning signs.
The solution to keeping your productivity at its maximum may be to routinely change your attentional focus throughout the day. Shifting modalities may be helpful – if you have focuses on writing something, for example, do something visual such as working on a spatial outline of the next steps in a project, or reviewing a diagram. Taking time to let your mind wander may help you restore your concentration. Physical exercise may be the single most helpful thing for you to do if you want to mentally shift gears and help restore your attention.
Article:
New York Times, “Digital Devices Deprive Brain of Needed Downtime,” August 24, 2010.
