--- title: How to Rest Your Overworked Mind description: Cognitive exhaustion can cause a drop in effectiveness and a rise in distractedness. canonical: https://time.com/4088830/cognitive-exhaustion/ author: Shane Parrish article:opinion: true article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-11-02T05:01:05.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T08:03:17.206Z article:section: Ideas og:title: How to Rest Your Overworked Mind og:description: Cognitive exhaustion can cause a drop in effectiveness and a rise in distractedness og:url: https://time.com/4088830/cognitive-exhaustion/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltd828b44ff7eedfe7/69886e4c2dce014da59e6320/business-man-tired-office.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 7360 og:image:height: 4140 og:image:alt: business-man-tired-office og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: How to Rest Your Overworked Mind twitter:description: Cognitive exhaustion can cause a drop in effectiveness and a rise in distractedness twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltd828b44ff7eedfe7/69886e4c2dce014da59e6320/business-man-tired-office.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 video:duration: 02:03 video:published: 2015-05-15 section: health topics: brain exercises, mental fitness, brain training, dementia, Alzheimer's disease, memory, crossword puzzles, physical activity and the brain, brain-training products genre: explainer, consumer health segment tones: informative, skeptical, practical, measured emotions: curiosity (medium), skepticism (medium), reassurance (low) sentiment: neutral audience: general consumers, older adults, health-conscious viewers, caregivers of people with dementia people: Robert Davis organizations: everwell products: Scrabble, crossword puzzles, brain-training video games, DVDs, brain-training software, subscription brain-training websites content_suitability: health controversy [00:29-01:22] transcript_source: publisher captions transcript_reviewed: not applicable ---  # How to Rest Your Overworked Mind > Sponsored content. 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It explains how TIME's journalism is made, from the first pitch through the editorial decisions behind a finished story or cover. #### How can I read about how TIME chooses its covers? Inside TIME is the newsletter where TIME's Editor-in-Chief explains cover selection and the editorial reasoning behind major stories. It is free at time.com/newsletters. #### Who is the editor of TIME? Sam Jacobs is TIME's Editor-in-Chief. He writes Inside TIME, a twice-weekly newsletter about the newsroom's reporting and editorial decisions. #### Is Inside TIME free? Yes. Inside TIME is a free newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. A paid TIME subscription is separate and available at time.com/subscribe-agent. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-inside-2026q3/newsletters?i=0fc5eb15-b397-491a-afe2-4a1305e73e94&cr=time-nl-inside-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Do Brain Exercises Really Keep You Mentally Fit? [Watch (HLS stream): Do Brain Exercises Really Keep You Mentally Fit?](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/t67dFcgw.m3u8) (2:03)  _Published 2015-05-15. Do Brain Exercises Really Keep You Mentally Fit?_ Description, summary, key points, chapters, key quotes, questions and transcript, where present, were produced automatically from the video or its captions and were not reviewed. ## Summary The video examines whether brain exercises such as puzzles and brain-training products really keep the mind fit and ward off dementia. It notes a growing market for brain-training games and subscriptions, and reviews evidence that brain training can improve memory while the link to preventing dementia is unproven. It concludes that keeping the mind active is good, that inexpensive activities can do the job, and that regular physical activity may be the best option for the brain. ## Key points - Exercising the brain regularly with puzzles is an idea that has caught on, and it has become big business. (00:29) - Video games, DVDs, and special software are marketed as ways to keep you mentally fit. (00:42) - Some subscription websites charge about $100 a year for an array of brain-boosting games. (00:51) - Studies show brain training can help improve memory, but that is different from warding off dementia. (01:05) - People who read, learn a new language, or play a musical instrument have lower rates of dementia and Alzheimer's, but this does not necessarily prove cause and effect. (01:08) - The bottom line is that the jury is still out on whether brain exercises prevent dementia. (01:22) - Crossword puzzles to challenging board games can keep the mind active without buying special products. (01:29) - Research shows regular physical activity can help older people remember and process information more quickly. (01:37) ## Chapters - [00:00 to 01:22] Brain exercise claims and the evidence. The host describes playing puzzles and games, the marketing of brain-training products, and what studies do and do not show about memory and dementia. - [01:22 to 02:03] Practical advice for keeping the brain active. The host suggests inexpensive mental activities and physical exercise as the best options for brain health. ## Key quotes - [00:19] Host: "I enjoy playing Scrabble from time to time. It keeps me thinking about words and it's fun." - [00:45] Host: "Today you can find video games, DVDs and special software that promise to keep you mentally fit." - [01:05] Host: "Studies show that brain training can help improve your memory. But that's different from warding off dementia." - [01:22] Host: "So the bottom line, the jury is still out." - [01:35] Host: "Perhaps the best thing for your brain is regular physical activity." ## Questions this video answers - Do brain exercises really keep you mentally fit? [00:00] - Can brain training help ward off dementia and Alzheimer's disease? [01:05] - Do activities like reading or learning a language lower dementia rates, and does that prove cause and effect? [01:08] - Do you need to buy special products to keep your mind active? [01:29] - What might be the best thing for your brain? [01:35] ## Content suitability - health controversy [00:29-01:22]: Discusses the unproven claim that brain exercises prevent dementia and Alzheimer's, and the questioned value of marketed brain-training products. by [Shane Parrish](https://time.com/author/shane-parrish/) ## Shane Parrish Nov 2, 2015 5:01 AM UTC  Stressful day at the office Stressful day at the office Getty Images by [Shane Parrish](https://time.com/author/shane-parrish/) ## Shane Parrish Nov 2, 2015 5:01 AM UTC In the go-go-go world of today we need to be sure we’re giving our mind ample opportunity to rest and relax — recognizing when we need a mental break. I usually [take a walk](http://www.farnamstreetblog.com/2014/05/a-philosophy-of-walking/). Or go to a yoga class. It turns out how we rest our minds has a big impact. Taking a walk isn’t enough, it depends on where you’re walking. In [_Focus: The Hidden Driver of Excellence_](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0062114867/ref=as%5Fli%5Fqf%5Fsp%5Fasin%5Fil%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0062114867&linkCode=as2&tag=farnamstreet-20&linkId=IY4N56MH77GQ43C2), Daniel Goleman elaborates on cognitive exhaustion: --- > “” --- **_This piece originally appeared on_** [**_Farnam Street_**](https://www.farnamstreetblog.com/2015/02/cognitive-exhaustion/)**_._** **Join over 60,000 readers and get a free weekly update via email** [**here**](http://www.farnamstreetblog.com/newsletter/)**.** **_Read next:_** [**_5 Reasons to Take a Real Lunch Break Every Day_**](http://time.com/money/4078277/take-a-real-lunch-break/) ## Transcript [00:00] You're watching everwell. Know more. Live better. [00:04] [ MUSIC ] [00:19] I enjoy playing Scrabble from time to time. It keeps me [00:22] thinking about words and it's fun. I do the Sunday [00:25] crossword puzzle every week, to keep my mind active. [00:29] It is an idea that's really caught on, that exercising your [00:32] brain regularly, with puzzles for example, can keep [00:35] your mind sharp, and ward off dementia and [00:37] Alzheimer's disease. And it's become big business. [00:42] Today you can find video games, DVDs and special [00:45] software that promise to keep you mentally fit. There [00:48] are also subscription websites which charge about [00:51] $ 100 a year for an array of brain boosting games. In [00:55] a way it makes sense. Just as physical activity can keep [00:58] your body strong, mental exercise can keep your brain [01:01] in shape. But is it really true? Studies show that brain [01:05] training can help improve your memory. But that's [01:08] different from warding off dementia. And people who [01:11] do stimulating activities like reading, learning a new [01:13] language, or playing a musical instrument have lower [01:16] rates of dementia and Alzheimer's but this doesn't [01:19] necessarily prove cause and effect. [ MUSIC ] So the [01:22] bottom line, the jury is still out. Still it's a good idea to [01:26] keep your mind active, but you don't need to spend a [01:29] lot on special products. Anything from crossword [01:32] puzzles to challenging board games can do the trick. [01:35] Perhaps the best thing for your brain is regular [01:37] physical activity. Research shows it can help improve [01:40] older people's ability to remember and process [01:43] information more quickly. [ NOISE ] So [01:49] next time you forget where you parked your car, don't [01:51] sweat it. Just use it as an opportunity to go for a walk. [01:54] Your brain will thank you. 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