In a world where productivity is often measured by the number of tasks completed, sitting doing nothing or staring out a window may seem like a waste of time. However, neuroscience research offers a different picture: periods when we appear to be doing nothing can be among the most active and important times for the brain.
Research shows that “quiet rest” can play a role in consolidating information and strengthening memory. Two recent meta-analyses that reviewed the results of dozens of studies indicate that people typically remember more when they allocate a few minutes of quiet rest after learning, compared with immediately engaging in an activity that requires focused attention.
Of course, the magnitude of this effect was not the same across all groups. In one study, the benefit was weaker in healthy young adults, but even after seven days it was overall that quiet rest had a positive effect on memory.
What does the brain do during rest?
One main explanation for this phenomenon is that quiet rest reduces competing external and stressful factors and gives the brain a chance to reactivate and consolidate a recently experienced event.
Put simply, the brain may act like an internal recording and reinforcement system during this time, strengthening newly learned information for future use.
Researchers also found that increased coordination between the hippocampus and parts of the cortex during the post-learning rest period is associated with better memory performance at later stages.
Sleep is not the only way to consolidate memory
Years of research have shown that sleep plays an important role in memory consolidation, but some researchers believe sleep may be only one of the states the brain uses to consolidate information, rather than a completely unique process.
According to this view, the brain can use periods when fewer new inputs or distractions enter it to consolidate recent learning. These periods can include nighttime sleep, short naps and quiet rest during wakefulness.
In one experiment, participants first performed memory-related tasks and then for 30 minutes did one of three things: sleep, rest with eyes closed, or perform a distracting activity.
Results showed that sleep and quiet rest in this short interval had similar benefits for memory, and both states produced better performance than engaging in a distracting activity.
Why is “doing nothing” not always easy?
Despite the potential benefits of quiet rest, achieving a truly calm state may be harder than it seems. The consolidation process is not only disrupted by external factors; internal mental activities can also interfere.
In a series of experiments, people who spent their rest time recalling past experiences or imagining future events remembered newly learned information less well than those who rested without engaging with their personal life.
Also, people who reported clearer and more thoughts during the rest period were more prone to distraction.
Therefore, simply sitting on the sofa or closing your eyes does not necessarily mean effective rest; calming the mind can be equally important.
Anxiety may also disrupt memory consolidation
A recent study of adults without clinical anxiety added another layer of complexity. In this research, moderate levels of anxiety during quiet rest were associated with impaired memory consolidation, while at low and high anxiety levels, new memories were largely preserved.
However, this study only showed a small overall benefit for rest, and in the study’s primary measure-recognition sensitivity-no statistically significant difference was observed. For that reason, findings about the relationship between anxiety and memory consolidation still require more research.
Nevertheless, the results raise the possibility that even background, everyday anxiety may make consolidation harder by putting the brain into a state of alertness-precisely when the brain should focus on processing and consolidating new learning.
For this reason, exam pressure or constant receipt of messages and notifications can make achieving an effective rest period more difficult.
Is quiet rest beneficial for children too?
Preliminary evidence suggests this effect may also be seen in children. In a recent classroom study of 10- to 12-year-olds, their ability to remember words improved after 10 minutes of quiet rest; although this benefit was observed only when a rest period had been present beforehand.
In another earlier study on 13- to 14-year-olds, it was found that rest could support memory over seven days. However, this benefit was more apparent in children who had weaker memory performance at the start of the study.
We still do not have answers to all questions
Despite these findings, it remains unclear how reliably and effectively quiet rest can be used as a specific method to boost memory in settings such as schools, workplace training courses, or care homes.
It is also still unclear why some people benefit more from this method than others.
Therefore, although existing evidence suggests that “doing nothing” is not necessarily a waste of time and that quiet rest can provide an opportunity for the brain to process and consolidate information, more research is needed to determine the exact best timing, duration and conditions for this rest.