Unplugging and letting mind wander is good for you, study finds

BOSTON – Most of us pull out our smartphones and start scrolling as soon as we have some downtime, but a new study says sometimes it's good to just let your mind wander.

According to scientists, the ability to engage in internal thoughts without external stimulation is unique to humans but we often avoid moments of quiet contemplation because we think it will be more boring than reading our emails or hopping on Instagram. 

But in a new study, researchers asked 259 university students to sit and wait in a quiet room without doing anything. They found that the participants experienced greater enjoyment and engagement while sitting quietly than they expected. 

In fact, their experiences were no different than when they did an alternative task like scrolling through news headlines. 

Experts say letting your mind wander can enhance creativity and problem-solving. So, if you need to kill some time, rather than playing Wordle or Candy Crush, take a moment to reflect and let your imagination run wild.

In:
• Boston

Mallika Marshall, MD

Mallika Marshall, MD is an Emmy-award-winning journalist and physician who has served as the HealthWatch Reporter for CBS Boston/WBZ-TV for over 20 years. A practicing physician Board Certified in both Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Dr. Marshall serves on staff at Harvard Medical School and practices at Massachusetts General Hospital at the MGH Chelsea Urgent Care and the MGH Revere Health Center, where she is currently working on the frontlines caring for patients with COVID-19. She is also a host and contributing editor for Harvard Health Publications (HHP), the publishing division of Harvard Medical School.

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