A study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, finds that activity in numerous brain regions increases when our minds wander. It also finds that brain areas associated with complex problem-solving - previously thought to go dormant when we daydream - are in fact highly active during these episodes.
"Mind wandering is typically associated with negative things like laziness or inattentiveness," says lead author, Prof. Kalina Christoff, UBC Dept. of Psychology. "But this study shows our brains are very active when we daydream - much more active than when we focus on routine tasks."
For the study, subjects were placed inside an fMRI scanner, where they performed the simple routine task of pushing a button when numbers appear on a screen. The researchers tracked subjects' attentiveness moment-to-moment through brain scans, subjective reports from subjects and by tracking their performance on the task.
The findings suggest that daydreaming - which can occupy as much as one third of our waking lives - is an important cognitive state where we may unconsciously turn our attention from immediate tasks to sort through important problems in our lives.
Until now, the brain's "default network" - which is linked to easy, routine mental activity and includes the medial prefrontal cortex (PFC), the posterior cingulate cortex and the temporoparietal junction - was the only part of the brain thought to be active when our minds wander.
However, the study finds that the brain's "executive network" - associated with high-level, complex problem-solving and including the lateral PFC and the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex - also becomes activated when we daydream.
"This is a surprising finding, that these two brain networks are activated in parallel," says Christoff. "Until now, scientists have thought they operated on an either-or basis - when one was activated, the other was thought to be dormant." The less subjects were aware that their mind was wandering, the more both networks were activated.
The quantity and quality of brain activity suggests that people struggling to solve complicated problems might be better off switching to a simpler task and letting their mind wander.
"When you daydream, you may not be achieving your immediate goal - say reading a book or paying attention in class - but your mind may be taking that time to address more important questions in your life, such as advancing your career or personal relationships," says Christoff.
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Very interesting -- I've always been a day dreamer, and liked that phrase ;
Sometimes I just sits and thinks, and sometimes I just sits.
Good night all, of to nigh time dreamland.
Sometimes I just sits and thinks, and sometimes I just sits.
Good night all, of to nigh time dreamland.
Perhaps this explains why people with conditions such as PD or Alzheimer's nod off or drift away for considerable periods: the Executive network wants to try to understand and resolve these ailments, and can best concentrate on this exercise if the Default network is allowed to meander.
hi ray ,i day dream all the time ,go into a zone kinda thing,but i also nite sleep real bad since i come home from hospital the last time,im seein the gp at 5 pm tonite ,cus ive had enough of it now,i keep movin orniments puttin them on the floor in straight perfect lines
Hi Ali.
The repetitive ornament moving sounds like a classic case of PUNDING, a frequent occurrence with PwP:
"Punding activity is characterised by compulsive fascination with and performance of repetitive, mechanical tasks, such as assembling and disassembling, collecting, or sorting household objects. Punding may occur in individuals with Parkinson's disease treated with dopaminergic agents such as L-dopa."
- Wikipedia.
The repetitive ornament moving sounds like a classic case of PUNDING, a frequent occurrence with PwP:
"Punding activity is characterised by compulsive fascination with and performance of repetitive, mechanical tasks, such as assembling and disassembling, collecting, or sorting household objects. Punding may occur in individuals with Parkinson's disease treated with dopaminergic agents such as L-dopa."
- Wikipedia.
thankyou so much ray for tha,i went to gp today at 5 he said i needed to see the neuro ,whendid i see her agin welli do on june the 14th ,he said it was ok nothin to worry about ,but it more a neuros field than a gps,he did say that either sinemet ,pramepeole or pregablin or morphine wheich im on can cause this to be happinin to me,so ur rite bout the sinemet,so im goin to see dr damion on the 14th and hopfuly she will get to the bottom of it 
"Those who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night."~ Edgar Allen Poe
im not sure wot that means ncn ,call me thick but i dont
could it be broke down for me
could it be broke down for me
Morning Ali. Cognizant means "aware", does that help?
Hi,
I have always daydreamed.I view it as the brain having a nap whilst it isent required for anything important.Good for you i reckon.Many a bright idea has occurred in the relaxed,meditative state of daydreaming.Switching off and carrying on tasks whilst daydreaming at the same time is restful and natural and helps you through a mundane day.
I think there are numerous levels/depths of daydreaming,dependant on what you are doing or what is required from you at the time.
A Daydream believer
All the zzz,s
Titan
I have always daydreamed.I view it as the brain having a nap whilst it isent required for anything important.Good for you i reckon.Many a bright idea has occurred in the relaxed,meditative state of daydreaming.Switching off and carrying on tasks whilst daydreaming at the same time is restful and natural and helps you through a mundane day.
I think there are numerous levels/depths of daydreaming,dependant on what you are doing or what is required from you at the time.
A Daydream believer
All the zzz,s
Titan
I can quite understand “titan”.
Oh,for those halcyon days gone by as a child, sat in the boarding school room looking out of the window. I’d see a fly , an ant or a lady bird. It immediately became an aeroplane flying me to some magic country that no one else had discovered.
A simple glazes of the sun through a window pane could become a death ray to obliterate all my enemies.
The master’s lessons droned on in the back ground until a small piece of chalk hit me on the head thrown by the enemy and bully with the words;
“Stop Day Dreaming and Pay Attention!”
“Sit up boy for God’s sake!”
As children we have had the amazing capability to turn a stick in to a sword, a tree into a giant and a shabby cloth into a prince’s cloak.
As adults we have so sadly sometimes lost that ability, but yet something has always left me in awe of day dreaming.
A place to allow one’s mind to wander where others cannot tread. Yes , I truly believe that if you, “Day dream”, even for a moment you have the possibility to dream things that others when only dreaming at night never find. They sadly will we worse off for not having developed the skill. Keeping it close to their hearts and worshiping something that should never be lost.
May your dreams take you to where ever you wish and may
the thrill of flying with an open mind always be in your heart.
Happy Day Dreaming All.
Oh,for those halcyon days gone by as a child, sat in the boarding school room looking out of the window. I’d see a fly , an ant or a lady bird. It immediately became an aeroplane flying me to some magic country that no one else had discovered.
A simple glazes of the sun through a window pane could become a death ray to obliterate all my enemies.
The master’s lessons droned on in the back ground until a small piece of chalk hit me on the head thrown by the enemy and bully with the words;
“Stop Day Dreaming and Pay Attention!”
“Sit up boy for God’s sake!”
As children we have had the amazing capability to turn a stick in to a sword, a tree into a giant and a shabby cloth into a prince’s cloak.
As adults we have so sadly sometimes lost that ability, but yet something has always left me in awe of day dreaming.
A place to allow one’s mind to wander where others cannot tread. Yes , I truly believe that if you, “Day dream”, even for a moment you have the possibility to dream things that others when only dreaming at night never find. They sadly will we worse off for not having developed the skill. Keeping it close to their hearts and worshiping something that should never be lost.
May your dreams take you to where ever you wish and may
the thrill of flying with an open mind always be in your heart.
Happy Day Dreaming All.
"They sadly will we worse off for not having developed the skill. Keeping it close to their hearts and worshiping something that should never be lost".
Should read.
"They sadly will be worse off for not having developed the skillor lost it".
Keep it close to your heart and worship it; for it something never to be lost".
Was such in a hurry to post I made a large typo; my mind all ready gone off to someother place.
