Thinking

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Have you ever wondered why thinking too much makes you tired? Some responses to this question have been identified by a recent study. The reason why mental work makes us tired was examined by researchers from the Paris Brain Institute. They discovered that the brain releases a chemical called glutamate when people think a lot. Too much glutamate disrupts brain activity. The body is informed by the brain that it needs to rest because it is exhausted.  People are more likely to feel exhausted if they work on a task that demands a lot of thought for longer than six hours. The brain can get back to normal after some rest. This explains why naps are beneficial for humans. Even a 20-minute power nap can make us feel completely refreshed.

In their study, the research team examined the behavior of 40 participants. Of these, 24 had to complete difficult tasks. These involved matching together the many letters that are displayed on a computer screen. The task for the remaining 16 individuals was similar but easier. Both teams put through six hours of work and had two breaks of ten minutes each. The participants' brains were scanned by the researchers. They discovered that the group that had the more challenging task had more glutamate in their brains. “It would be great to find out more about how glutamate levels are restored,” according to study author Antonius Wiehler. He also asked: “Is sleep helpful? How long do breaks need to have a positive effect?”