Every human partakes in daydreaming. It’s vital to mental well-being. Daydreaming has been widely discussed among neurologists and psychologists. Daydreams aren’t just some movie that you create and replay in your head. They’re way more complex than that! The brain plays a major part in daydreaming. Specifically, the default mode network.
The Default Mode Network (DMN)
The default mode network is a system in the brain which is thought to comprise the cingulate area, medial prefrontal cortex and hippocampus (it is still unclear which parts are in the default mode network). Each region is connected by axons so that they can function together. Here’s a diagram properly depicting these parts:
When a person is performing a task, they are focused on it. During that time, the DMN is not activated. Once the person stops that task, the DMN is activated and the other parts of the brain performing functions (eg: the anterior cingulate cortex if one is meditating) are inhibited. The DMN uses up a whopping 90% of the brain’s energy, and is fully activated while sleeping. Studies show that the DMN is activated within a mere fraction of a second after a task is completed!
Daydreaming is only one of the default mode network’s functions. It is responsible for introspection and thinking of oneself, episodic memory, thinking of others’ emotions and thought, imagining the future, thinking of the past, and reflecting on one’s emotions. However, daydreaming is the most prominent one since it can comprise most of these other functions.
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