Daydreaming linked to brain’s problem-solving function

“This study shows our brains are very active when we daydream much more active than when we focus on routine tasks,” said Prof. Kalina Christoff,of the UBC Department of Psychology at the University.

The research finds that our brains are much more active when we daydream than previously thought,said Prof. Christoff,the lead author of the study,published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences “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,” Christoff said.

It found that the brain’s “executive network” associated with high-level,complex problem-solving and including the lateral PFC and the dorsal anterior cingulated cortex also becomes activated when we daydream,the Science Daily reported.

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 Canadian research found that during the process of daydreaming we may unconsciously turn our attention from immediate tasks to sort through important problems in our lives. It suggests that people struggling to solve complicated problems might be better off switching to a simpler task and letting their mind wander,the report said.