Thinking Hard Really Does Make Your Brain ‘Hurt’

Using your brain power to the max may lead to some really unpleasant feelings.

Researchers analyzed data from 170 studies that looked at how people respond to performance demands and found mental exertion often leads to mental anguish.

Close to 47-hundred people including students, amateur athletes and workers were challenged to complete different cognitive tasks and then rate their feelings.

No matter what the task, greater mental exertion was linked to greater frustration, irritation, stress or annoyance in every population.

So why do people take on challenging tasks?  Because the benefits may outweigh the costs.

According to one author, the lesson from this study is that “When people are required to exert substantial mental effort, you need to make sure to support or reward them for their effort.”

Source: Psychological Bulletin

Author Affiliations: Radboud University, Maastricht University