Every day when you are awake, daydream about one-third to half of the time. This may sound like a huge waste of time, but scientists believe that exists to justify , otherwise humans would not have evolved to spend so much time daydreaming.
Your daydreams and those of others may sound or feel so similar. To see which parts of your brain are active when you are processing, thinking, or daydreaming, scientists used brain imaging technology , which showed increased blood flow and energy consumption in these areas, indicating that these brain areas are active and that they collaborate and communicate with each other. Collectively, they are called the executive network . When your mind starts to wander, a different set of brain regions become active. These regions make up the default mode network.
The name Default Mode makes it sound like nothing is happening, and in fact, for years, scientists have associated this mode of activity with rest. But a closer look reveals that these are the areas of the brain that are active when we relive memories, think about plans and hopes, and yes, when our minds wander in wild daydreams.
The mind may wander into futile or distressing areas and dwell on past negative events, such as arguments. It can also move on to neutral, everyday things, like planning how to spend the rest of the afternoon. But the really interesting thing about mind-wandering is when it crosses into the realm of wild associations that you didn’t intentionally channel, which is associated with an increase in thoughts and positive emotions. There is evidence that daydreaming can help people envision ways to achieve their goals, as well as navigate relationships and social situations. Scientists believe that this process may have two basic parts: a free-flowing and spontaneous idea generation phase generated by the default mode network, followed by a process of selecting, developing, and pursuing the best ideas from the generative bursts, driven by the logical thinking of the executive network. Many imaging studies have shown that the synchronization of these two networks, , is a key condition for creative thinking.
Taken together, this evidence clearly shows that the logical domain of the execution network and the imaginary domain of the default mode network are closely related. As you can see, while the default mode network is daydreaming, the execution network is still functioning. In adolescents, the prefrontal cortex and other areas associated with executive functions are still developing, but adolescents are fully capable of thinking about their problems and goals, especially when given the space to think independently.
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