Imagine a crazy week is drawing to a close. Work was madness, your schedule packed, and in the middle of it all a pipe burst and the dog got sick. You know the kind of week I’m talking about. Come Friday, what do you do to recover? For many people the answer is obvious: you rest, of course.
But here’s a follow-up question: After you spend your precious time off scrolling your phone or puttering around the househow do you actually feel? Are you rejuvenated and ready to take on the next week?
If you’re honest with yourself, the answer a lot of the time is probably no.
We expect doing a whole lot of nothing to reenergize us. But, you often feel mentally and physically sluggish instead. Why do you still feel tired and uninspired come Monday? And what would actually help you recover so you’re ready to tackle the challenges to come?
Neuroscience provides intriguing answers.
Why being a couch potato leaves you feeling exhausted
Many of us have a simple mental model for our energy levels. Like a battery, they get drawn down with use. And like a battery they need to be periodically recharged with rest. But that’s not actually how the human brain works, according to neuroscientist and author Anne-Laure Le Cunff.
“Biologically, energy behaves less like a battery and more like a machine: It doesn’t automatically repair itself just because you stop using it,” Le Cunff explained recently on Big Think. “It might sound counterintuitive, but doing less can actually make you feel more tired. Research suggests that when you stay inactive for long periods, your body becomes less efficient and less ready to handle effort.”
