The ideal formula for giving your brain restorative rest, without thinking about nothing

Doing nothing may look like the perfect way to rest, but the brain does not simply switch off. Instead, it wanders, which is not necessarily relaxing, the article says, citing neuroscience.

A more restorative formula combines low stress, physical movement and a cognitive challenge with a little emotional tension. A board game, for example, engages working memory when players read the rules. Early matches demand flexibility and inhibition, while competition activates the emotional side of executive function.

Interactive sports work in a similar way. Padel, climbing, table tennis and other open-skill activities require players to react in real time to an opponent, uncertainty and adrenaline. They therefore train emotional executive functions more than predictable, solitary exercise, according to the article.

Outdoor recreational activities can also support attention, behavioural inhibition and cognitive flexibility. Breaking up sedentary time with light exercise may activate prefrontal circuits. The article suggests adding a small mental challenge to active breaks, such as doing squats while counting backward from 50 in threes.

The aim is not to eliminate thought, but to engage the brain in a manageable challenge. Research on work recovery points to four needs: psychological detachment, relaxation, autonomy and the ability to decide how to spend one’s time.