The Surprising Reason You Keep Spacing Out

You Should Know: We all zone out sometimes, especially when we’re tired. One minute you’re reading an email or sitting in a meeting, then suddenly you’re staring into space. Interestingly, new research shows these episodes actually reflect real, measurable changes happening inside the brain.

Going Deeper: Scientists at MIT and Boston University scanned 26 volunteers after a full night’s sleep and again after staying up all night. When people spaced out, a wave of cerebrospinal fluid was expelled from the brain and flowed back seconds later. Their breathing and heart rate slowed, and their pupils shrank before returning to normal. Researchers say these instances actually look a lot like the start of deep sleep, when the brain clears out waste and resets.

Takeaway: Zoning out might feel like a glitch, but it’s really your brain’s way of keeping things running smoothly. You might even take the hint to step away if you can and let your brain catch up. Or maybe it’s a sign you should start using something like this to get better sleep. 

Bottom Line: It’s nice to know these lapses don’t happen because you’re being flighty or distracted. Instead, researchers think they may be the brain’s way of forcing you to hit pause when you’re overtired.