How cognitive rest can support your mental health

Most of us probably remember a time in school when the teacher asked the class to take a “brain break.” At that moment, every student would put their head down on their desks, stand up and wiggle, or do something else that gave their brain a break from the task. We could all take a cue from the world’s teachers because cognitive rest (the scientific term for “brain breaks”) is emerging as one of the simplest and most effective ways to improve mental health.

What is cognitive rest?

According to Edutopia, resting your brain for ten minutes provides myriad benefits, including reduced stress, increased productivity, and enhanced creativity. Intentionally including cognitive rest in your daily routine can reap significant benefits. The truth is, without rest, no part of your body can function as it should. Your brain is no exception—it likely needs the occasional break to rest and restore itself.

The implications of cognitive rest are twofold for caregivers. First, caregivers care for people–whether it’s children or older adults– who can benefit from more rest in their own lives. Second, caregivers have stressful lives and cognitive rest can play a role in helping them to stay focused and productive.

Benefits of cognitive rest

Without rest, your brain cannot function. Just think of the last time you had a bad night’s sleep. You probably felt unfocused, distracted and irritable all day. Even if you are getting enough sleep, your brain likely still needs moments of rest to fully function.

Cognitive rest lets your brain recover and reset from traumatic events, unexpected moments, or everyday stressors. Resting improves memory, attention to detail, interpersonal connections, intelligence, and overall communication.

A recent study by the NIH found that even short periods of cognitive rest resulted in improved memory and performance. Plus, the American Psychological Association reports that on top of all of the cognitive benefits, people who intentionally allow themselves cognitive rest tend to feel more energized and content. Additionally, the cognitive decline that comes with dementia and other dementia-related illnesses is often slowed by intentional cognitive rest.

Cognitive rest can play a key role in the mental health of people of all ages and demographics. According to Edutopia, children who learn to rest their brains tend to perform better in school, be more creative, and have better social skills.

Cognitive rest can also play a meaningful role in the treatment of older adults with dementia or Alzheimer’s. The National Library of Medicine reported a link between rest-activity rhythms and the rate of cognitive decline.

While there is still much research being done on the health benefits of cognitive rest, it’s clear that intentional cognitive rest impacts mental health.

How to make cognitive rest part of your daily practice

There are many proven benefits of cognitive rest, yet many people don’t make it part of their daily self-care routine. They should! It’s a simple (and free!) way to improve mental health. To start, here are a few tips to make cognitive rest part of your routine.

• Start with Mindfulness. Find a quiet space, close your eyes, and spend a few minutes focusing on your breathing. Let go of any distractions. This can be done by clearing your head of your thoughts and focusing on your breathing.
• Step Away. When you are feeling stressed or overwhelmed, intentionally step away for a few minutes. This could mean leaving your computer in another room, or stepping outside to get a few deep breaths in the fresh air. By stepping away, you reduce stress, lessen muscle tension, and allow your brain to reset so that you can tackle finding a solution to whatever is stressing you out.
• Relax and refocus. Allow space in your day—even five or ten-minute breaks—to relax and re-center. This could mean going on a short walk, doing some stretching and breathing, or simply sitting in a quiet room and resting for a bit.
• Try the Pomodoro Technique. The idea behind the Pomodoro Technique which breaks  tasks into small chunks of time, followed by short periods of rest. The key is that between productivity time, you build in small periods of rest. So, for example, if you spend 45 minutes working on an important project, you should follow it with 10 minutes of cognitive rest.
• Consider implementing yoga or relaxation techniques. By doing simple yoga or pilates poses, or simply taking deep breaths or meditating, you can give your brain some cognitive rest.
• Take breaks from your phone or social media. Intentionally set technology aside for certain periods of time throughout your day to give your brain a break from constant input. This can be especially important to do before you go to bed, as sleep is often impacted by the use of technology at night.
• Choose healthy habits. By choosing to keep your body healthy through regular exercise, eating a healthy diet, and getting enough sleep, your brain will get healthier too.
• Give your brain calming inputs. Relaxing music, soothing sounds, or calming podcasts and movies can offer a much-needed mental break.

What can’t you do during cognitive rest

During cognitive rest, the goal is to minimize mental stimulation to allow the brain to heal and recover after a concussion, burnout, or periods of intense stress. As such, there are several activities you should avoid. You should not use electronic screens, including phones, computers, tablets, televisions, or video game consoles. Reading and writing—whether books, articles, or even emails—are also discouraged, as they require concentration and cognitive processing. Listening to music with lyrics, podcasts, or audiobooks should be avoided as well. These activities can also engage the brain more than intended.

Engaging in any form of problem-solving, critical thinking, or multitasking is not recommended. This includes activities like doing puzzles, managing a schedule, or even working or studying. Socializing should be limited, especially long or emotionally intense conversations, as talking and processing language can tax the brain. Being in loud, busy, or visually stimulating environments, such as crowded events or bright, noisy places, should also be avoided during this time.

Instead, cognitive rest encourages low-stimulation activities like sitting in a quiet, dimly lit room, taking gentle walks without music, and doing light stretching or breathing exercises. These allow the brain to remain relatively idle, which supports recovery.

Give Your Brain a Break!

It may be surprising, but something as simple as rest is often overlooked.  It’s not that people don’t understand the power of cognitive rest, it’s simply that people get so busy in their lives that they forget to spend even a few minutes giving their brain a break.

The benefits are clear– people who practice cognitive rest are more energized and content. As we said earlier in this article, people who take regular, intentional “brain breaks” tend to have better memories and to perform better on cognitive tests. They avoid diagnosis like dementia, and when they are diagnosed, their cognitive decline is slowed down.

The good news is that cognitive rest is simple. You don’t need to buy any fancy equipment or go to any appointments. Just make a commitment to intentionally allowing space in your day to give your brain a break. By doing so, you can reap huge health benefits and relieve stress at the same time.