The benefits of daydreaming - Elizabeth Cox

譯者: 暐哲 袁 審譯者: SF Huang

On a daily basis, you spend between a third and half

每天你醒著時，會有三分之一 到一半的時間都在做白日夢。

your waking hours daydreaming.

That may sound like a huge waste of time,

這聽起來像是浪費了大好光陰，

but scientists think it must have some purpose,

但科學家們認為這必有其道理，

or humans wouldn’t have evolved to do so much of it.

不然人類的進化過程中， 不會花這麼多時間來做白日夢。

So to figure out what's going on here,

為了找出其中的道理，

let’s take a closer look at the mind-wanderer in chief:

讓我們來一探心神漫遊的專家：

the bored teenager.

常感到無聊的青少年。

Wouldn’t it be cool to discover something, anything.

如果能發現任何東西，應該很酷吧。

Like even this plant.

甚至像是這棵植物。

Just to be one of those explorers who sails around drawing stuff

成為一名大家公認的天才探險家， 長年到處航行、畫下所見。

for years on end and everyone thinks they’re a genius.

But does anyone even do that anymore?

但是現在還有人這樣做嗎？

Is there anything left to discover?

還有事情沒被探索過嗎？

And would I be tough enough to deal with the dysentery or scurvy

我是否能夠承受痢疾或壞血病，

or piranhas or whatever?

食人魚攻擊或其他的危險？

I barely have the endurance to make it through track practice...

光是田徑練習，就幾乎 將我的耐力消耗殆盡......

but I will.

但我可以的。

Any day now, I’ll have the discipline to show up before sunrise

從今天開始，我會有紀律地 在每天太陽升起前

and practice.

開始訓練。

I’ll win all my races.

我會贏得所有比賽。

Winning will become so easy, I’ll pick up other events just for fun.

贏得比賽易如反掌， 我還會為了好玩而去參加其他項目。

And once I'm in the Olympics,

當我進軍奧運時，

they’ll have no choice but to crown me team captain,

他們將不得不加冕我為隊長，

which I will graciously accept.

而我將欣然接受。

And will I be nasty to the teammate who yelled at me?

我會討厭那些對我大吼大叫的隊友嗎？

No.

不。我不會。

I’ll just calmly say, “hope you’re in a better mood.”

我只會淡淡地說一句： 「希望你心情有好一點。」

Okay. Yours and other people's daydreams might sound or feel something like that.

好吧。你和其他人的白日夢 大都類似這樣。

Let's see what was going on.

讓我們來看看剛才發生了什麼事。

To see what parts of the brain are active

為了瞭解大腦的哪個區塊

when you’re doing a task, or thinking, or daydreaming,

會在你工作、思考 和做白日夢時活躍起來，

scientists use brain imaging techniques that show

科學家使用腦部顯影技術

increased blood flow and energy expenditure in those areas.

來呈現血流量增加和能量消耗的區塊。

These brain areas are active,

這些腦部區塊會活躍起來 並互相溝通與合作。

working together and communicating with each other.

Taken together, they're called the executive network.

這些區塊被統稱為執行網路。

When your mind starts to wander,

當你開始神遊時，

a different set of brain areas becomes active.

另一組區塊則開始活躍起來。

These areas make up the default mode network.

這些區塊組成了預設模式網路。

The name default mode makes it sound like nothing is going on.

「預設模式」 聽起來像沒有在執行任何功能。

And in fact, for many years,

事實上，許多年來，

scientists associated this pattern of activity with rest.

科學家都認為這個迴路與休息有關。

But a closer look reveals that these are the brain areas involved

但經過更深入的了解， 我們發現這個區塊

when we revisit a memory, when we think about our plans and hopes,

和回憶、計畫、盼望

and yes, when our minds are wandering off on a wild daydream.

及我們奇幻的白日夢世界息息相關。

The mind can wander to unproductive or distressing places

我們的思緒可以神遊到 無用或讓人苦惱的地方，

and brood over negative past events, like an argument.

進而沉浸在過往的負面事件中， 譬如爭執吵架。

It can also wander to neutral, everyday matters,

它也可神遊到中性、日常的事物上，

like planning out the rest of one's afternoon.

像是計畫下午的行程。

But where mind-wandering really gets interesting

但遊走的思緒有趣的地方，

is when it crosses into the realm of free-moving associative thought

在於當它進入不受意識所拘束的

that you aren’t consciously directing.

自由聯想領域。

This kind of mind-wandering is associated with increases in both ideas

這樣的心神漫遊與新點子

和正向情緒的產生有關。

and positive emotions,

and the evidence suggests that daydreaming can help people envision ways

相關證據也顯示， 做白日夢能夠幫助人們

構想達成目標的方法 和處理人際關係與應對社交場合。

to reach their goals and navigate relationships and social situations.

Scientists think there may be two essential parts to this process:

科學家認為大腦中可能 有兩個重要部分和這運作過程有關：

a generative phase of free-flowing ideas and spontaneous thoughts,

拜預設模式網路之賜，

自由洋溢的點子 和即興的想法產生之後，

courtesy of the default mode network,

followed by a process of selecting, developing, and pursuing

在邏輯思維的驅動下， 大腦會從中去選擇、發展

the best ideas from that generative burst,

並找出最佳的想法與點子，

driven by logical thinking thanks to the executive network.

而這部分是由執行網路所處理的。

A host of imaging studies suggest that these two networks working in sync

大量的腦部顯影研究顯示， 這兩個系統同步合作無間

is a crucial condition for creative thinking.

是創意思考的必要條件。

Taken together, the evidence clearly suggests

綜上所述，證據表明

the logical realm of the executive network

負責邏輯領域的執行網路

and the imaginative realm of the default mode network

與負責想像力的預設模式網路

are closely related.

高度相關。

And as you can see, the executive network is still playing a role

且如你所見，即便預設模式網路 在處理白日夢的事情時，

when the default mode network is doing its thing during daydreaming.

執行網路依然發揮其作用。

In teenagers,

對青少年來說，

the prefrontal cortex and other areas involved in executive function

他們的前額葉皮質 和其他牽涉到執行功能的部分

are still developing,

仍在發展當中，

but teens are perfectly capable of thinking through their problems and goals,

但他們完全具有思考問題 與目標的能力，

especially when given space to do so on their own.

尤其是給與他們空間自己這樣做時。