Why do we need breaks?
Continuous cognitive work depletes neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin, which are essential for mood, motivation, and focus.
“Cognitive work is any activity that involves perceiving, thinking, understanding, learning, or remembering. When you are thinking and feeling, your brain is working, regardless of whether the activity is productive or not. This includes solving problems, making decisions, watching a movie, or even daydreaming.”
Breaks help replenish these neurotransmitters, maintaining optimal brain function and emotional well-being. The brain also needs downtime to process and consolidate information, transferring it from short-term to long-term memory with the help of the hippocampus and neocortex. During rest, the brain’s default mode network (DMN) becomes active, aiding introspection, self-referential thinking, and memory consolidation, which enhance problem-solving and creativity. Continuous strain raises cortisol levels, impairing memory and executive function; breaks reduce cortisol, enabling the brain to work more effectively. Intense mental effort can cause neural fatigue, and breaks allow neurons to recover, preventing cognitive overload. Additionally, breaks involving gentle physical activity like stretching or novel experiences boost neural plasticity, improving learning and adaptability, which are vital for long-term productivity and cognitive health.
Consider simple everyday activities like brushing your teeth, eating breakfast, or even showering—even in these times, our brains are constantly busy planning, processing past, present, and future events, and generating questions.
Even as you are only brushing your teeth, other than the brain activity required to coordinate perception, orientation, and movement to brush your teeth, your brain is also indulging in way more activity. The prefrontal cortex, responsible for executive functions like planning and decision-making, is trying to plan our day or contemplate future events. The regions involved in memory processing, such as the hippocampus, are recalling past experiences and integrating them into our present day. The amygdala, a key structure in emotional processing, may also be active, especially if any of the mental chatter evokes emotional responses or anticipation of future events.
It’s amazing that our brains are able to do this; even the most powerful supercomputers will falter and freeze when faced with so much data to process. Can you imagine how much it has to process when you’re eating breakfast, watching a match, and talking to your family at the same time? Mind blowing!
Our daily lives are filled with activities that keep our brains constantly engaged, from planning our day to recalling past experiences and anticipating future events, even during seemingly mundane tasks like brushing our teeth or eating breakfast. This cognitive workload often triggers the activation of our sympathetic nervous system, preparing us to tackle the challenges ahead. However, to maintain overall well-being, it’s crucial to strike a balance between the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. While the sympathetic system gears us up for action, the parasympathetic system promotes rest and relaxation, allowing our bodies and brains to recharge.
Think of your brain as a dedicated, loyal, yet stubborn horse pulling a wagon on life’s journey. It tirelessly pulls you forward, determined to help you navigate through challenges. However, like any hard-working horse, it can sometimes become overwhelmed and falter, unaware of its own limitations. Unless it is in extreme distress, it will not voluntarily stop to take a break. It’s up to you, the wagoneer, to recognize when your faithful companion needs a rest and gently guide it to recharge, ensuring the both of you can get to where you want to.
Here’s a simple way to do it (simple does not mean easy).
Remember our previous sections on anchoring with breath and senses? We can use this particular skill to remain present in what we are doing.
Amidst a whirlwind of deadlines and emails, Ramya finds a moment of respite during her lunch break. As she sits down to enjoy her meal of warm roti and flavorful sabzi, she deliberately engages her senses. She notices the soft texture of the roti, the aroma of spices wafting from the sabzi, and the varying temperatures dancing on her palate. With each bite, she slows down her breathing, allowing herself to fully immerse herself in the present moment. Despite the background thoughts of pending tasks and looming deadlines, Ramya has learned to acknowledge them without letting them consume her. Instead, she chooses to focus on the sensory experience before her, giving her brain a much-needed 20-minute break from the constant influx of information.
Amidst academic pressures and social obligations, Arjun wants to give his brain a break. With his eyes gently closed, he breathes slowly, gently, and deeply, relishing the sensation of fresh air filling his lungs. Setting a timer for five minutes, he commits to giving his brain a moment of respite. Despite all kinds of distractions, he gently returns to his breath, each inhalation soothing his mind and each exhalation releasing tension. As the timer chimes softly, Arjun opens his eyes, feeling rejuvenated. Through mindful breathing, he has found peace and clarity, nurturing resilience for life’s challenges.
Resting while you are awake
Ever feel like you’re taking a break, but your mind is still racing? It happens to the best of us. Scrolling through social media or checking work emails might seem like a mental break, but they often stimulate the brain further. To truly give your mind a rest, try techniques that engage you in the present moment. Like the ones we have discussed previously, or try this.
Find a comfortable position. Sit or lie down in a way that allows you to relax your spine and shoulders. You can close your eyes if you find it helpful to focus inward.
Prepare for your breath. Gently place one hand on your belly and the other on your chest. This will help you feel the movement of your diaphragm during the breathing exercise.
Inhale slowly. Breathe slowly through your nose for a count of 4 seconds. Aim for a gentle and deep breath that expands your belly, not just your chest. You should feel your hand on your belly rise slightly.
Hold (optional): If comfortable, hold your breath for a silent count of 1 (optional).
Exhale slowly: Slowly exhale through your nose or mouth for a count of 6 seconds, pursing your lips slightly if it feels comfortable. Imagine blowing gently on a feather. Feel your belly sink back down as you release the air.
Repeat: Continue this cycle of inhaling for 4 seconds, holding (optional) for 1 second, and exhaling for 6 seconds. Aim for 5–10 minutes of parasympathetic breathing.
We don’t have to limit our breaks to boring stuff like breathing exercises or eating. Anything can be a break if we reduce the amount of work our brain needs to do. Remember, “work” here doesn’t mean productivity. For example, endlessly scrolling through social media can be more exhausting for your brain than writing an essay!
Maya had a difficult day and wanted to peek through Instagram for a bit of respite. As she scrolled through her feed, she noticed her mind racing with a flurry of thoughts and emotions. Frustration from a challenging workday mingled with envy sparked by her friends’ glamorous vacation photos. Ads and promotions constantly pulled her attention in different directions, adding to her mental clutter. “Hey, this is supposed to be a break!” she told herself. Maya took a gentle, slow, and deep breath and reminded herself of what she was trying to do. She stopped scrolling and set a timer for 15 minutes. Then, she resumed with a drastically slowed scroll rate, letting each image fully register before moving on. She noticed the vibrant colors, the beautiful smiles, the amazing places, the intricate details, and the heartfelt captions, immersing herself in the present moment. As she continued this way, her mind was able to rest as well. In 15 minutes, she felt much more relaxed, and the break felt like an actual break!
A bit of biology
When Maya decided to take a slow, deliberate approach to her Instagram browsing, several neurobiological processes came into play. By focusing on each image, the prefrontal cortex (PFC) reduced its cognitive load, helping to regulate her emotions. The amygdala’s activity related to stress and negative emotions diminished as she engaged with positive stimuli. The hippocampus consolidated these positive experiences, while the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) shifted her attention away from intrusive thoughts. Engaging intentionally with content also reduced activity in the default mode network (DMN), which is involved in mind-wandering, and activated the salience and executive control networks, which manage attention and emotional regulation. Neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin increased, enhancing feelings of pleasure and relaxation, while GABA helped reduce anxiety. Brain frequencies shifted away from dysfunctional hi-beta and edged toward alpha, associated with relaxation and creativity, providing Maya’s brain with a restful break. This conscious approach allowed her to balance neurotransmitter levels and neural circuits, resulting in a calmer, more focused mind.
Here’s some scientific evidence to support the use of parasympathetic breathing:
- Heart Rate Variability (HRV): Parasympathetic breathing activates the vagus nerve, a key part of the parasympathetic nervous system. Studies have shown a link between increased HRV and parasympathetic activity. HRV refers to the variation in time between heartbeats, and higher HRV is associated with better stress management and overall health.
- Brainwave Activity: Research suggests slow, deep breathing can promote alpha waves in the brain. Alpha waves are associated with relaxation, calmness, and improved focus. Closing your eyes during breathing exercises may further enhance alpha-wave production.
- Stress Reduction: Several studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of slow breathing techniques in reducing stress and anxiety. A 2022 meta-analysis found that breathwork interventions like parasympathetic breathing can significantly reduce stress and improve mental health.
Now, don’t be surprised if it feels weird at first. Our minds are like over excited puppies sometimes. Just keep practicing and experimenting until you find a rhythm that works for you. There’s no pressure to be perfect; just focus on those deep breaths and let your body unwind.
A few short exercises that can help you get started