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Why Our Minds Wander. The Neuroscience of Daydreaming

Updated: Feb 14, 2022

It's been shown that about 50% of our thoughts are off task. But why are we prone to lose focus and what effect does this have on our mood?


I've come across an article by the neuroscientist Patricia Sharp (1). It's about meditation and why it feels blissful. But, within the article she also gives an interesting theory as to why we gravitate towards idly daydreaming.


The article is well written with real world examples and doesn't assume a lot of background knowledge. If you feel inclined, I would definitely recommend it. You'll find the link below.


She likens daydreaming to addiction- it can be difficult to focus because we are addictively drawn to mind wandering.