Why it Hurts to Think Hard
The science of overtaxing your brain, and the no-brainer remedy
When my wife asks me to make a complex decision or answer a simple household finance question that involves any math whatsoever, my brain overheats pretty quickly. Facing TMI, I’ll press my fingers to my temples and think, perhaps even say out loud: “I can’t think about that right now. It hurts too much.”
Brain overload may not feel the same as physical pain, but depending on how you define “hurt” and “pain,” the serious discomfort of challenging mental tasks is real, and it’s something we subconsciously shy away from, new research confirms. The finding adds to other evidence that when we overwork the brain, we risk blowing a synaptic fuse, a warning sign that the mind needs a break to rest and recharge.
This is not about routine thought, the constant thinking stuff like making easy decisions or doing repetitive tasks or just listening to the incessant mental chatter that meditation teachers call the “monkey mind.” (Go ahead: Try to not think. For just 10 seconds. Good luck!)
This is about intensive thought, serious mental exertion of the sort you might be challenged to undertake at work, at school, when important family pressures compete for your attention or—if you’re like me—whenever math is required.
