I wonder about our human brains. How we think.
It seems like some people’s brains work differently than others. I’m no scientist, but I sure have noticed that difference between a big bunch of us.
Regardless, the mind is a complicated place. Take dreaming, for example. Sometimes, I wake up from a dream and say, “What the holy heck was THAT?” Our brain wanders in and out of spaces and places and experiences that don’t even exist. At least, not that we know of.
But how about those times when we dream while we’re awake?
Daydreaming.
Truthfully, these days, I don’t think I’m that much of a daydreamer. I’m not entirely sure I ever have been.
But really. Daydreaming is a normal part of the brain’s thought process. Even though humans have the power to initiate it, it usually happens on its own. A daydream is a stream of consciousness that focuses on inner thoughts instead of what’s currently happening.
I recently read a couple of articles on daydreaming. In one, the researchers reported that some parts of the human brain become “dormant” when daydreaming. Apparently, we are slow in our reactions to stimuli when we are daydreaming. For example, a person daydreaming might not hear their name being called or may take some time to respond.
Scientists have discovered a close connection between boredom and daydreaming. We are likely to slip off into daydreaming when watching a boring movie or attending a class that doesn’t interest us. Maybe we are in a boring meeting. And there it goes. We’re off.
This could be why I don’t daydream. It is nearly impossible to daydream when focused on tasks such as working. Same thing goes for when we are worried about something.
Another thing. Doodling prevents daydreaming. Doodling refers to drawing pictures or words while thinking about something else. Even though it is mostly used to treat boredom, research shows doodling can also prevent a person’s mind from daydreaming. And I am a doodler. Polly Wolly Doodle All The Day.
And one more reason I may not be daydreaming? They say it decreases with age. As time passes, many things become routine, making daydreaming less unlikely.
But apparently, humans spend 46.9% of their waking hours daydreaming. I found this hard to believe, but Harvard University conducted a study on more than 2,200 volunteers. The participants were frequently asked about their thoughts and moods, even when working on serious tasks. This study concluded that the respondents spent 46.9% of their waking hours daydreaming, making it a prevalent phenomenon. Hmmmmm.
Some more interesting tidbits.
Children who daydream fall behind at school.
Daydreaming isn’t always involuntary. Some people let their minds wander on purpose.
Daydreaming also produces chemicals in our brains, such as dopamine and oxytocin. This makes us feel happy.
And, of course, it causes people to lose track of what they are doing.
If I drift off in thought, it might be for a second or two. However, Harvard says that a typical daydream can last from a few seconds up to several hours. For people with maladaptive daydreaming (a daydreaming disorder), it can last up to 5 hours daily. In most cases, however, daydreams often last for a few seconds and occur several times within a day.
But the bottom line is this. Allowing our thoughts to roam around revitalizes us. Most of us can benefit from approaching our problems with a fresh perspective. After a brief daydream, we are able to return to things more refreshed.
I’m not sure how the brain kicks into this mode, but it happens to all of us on occasion.
And off we go, exploring another existence of the mind.
A little trip to nowhere and back.
Or maybe it is a little trip to everywhere.
I suppose we know when we know.
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“A daydream is a meal at which images are eaten. Some of us are gourmets, some gourmands, and a good many take their images precooked out of a can and swallow them down whole, absent-mindedly and with little relish.” — W.H. Auden
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“Dreams are illustrations from the book your soul is writing about you.” — Marsha Norman
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“Dreams are the touchstones of our characters.” — Henry David Thoreau
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Dream a little dream. While you’re awake.
