How daydreaming and sports make you smarter
Forget scribbling on crossword puzzles all day—some passive mental activities can fire up your neurons, as well.
A study published last week in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences shows that daydreaming can activate the problem-solving portion of your brain.
The study monitored the brain activity of people performing a routine task on a computer. Researchers noted activity in the brain’s complex problem-solving network in addition to the portion dedicated to routine mental activity. Turns out the more the participants’ minds wandered, the more active both networks were.
Daydreaming isn’t the only lazy man’s brain-booster. Watching sports can improve learning and comprehension, according to a 2008 University of Chicago study. Why? As you watch LeBron James hold court in the playoffs, your brain is trying to mimic his thought process, not just watching him idly.
Working less can also improve your mental capacity. Another study shows that clocking 55 or more hours on the job correlated with lower scores on vocabulary and reasoning tests, compared with working a 35- to 40-hour week. So rather than working overtime, take some time off and exercise your mind with these simple tips.
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