For years, daydreaming was seen as a waste of time, something that we should snap out of. But psychologists and neuroscientists are now seeing it differently. New research shows that letting your mind wander may do far more good than harm.

Daydreaming is not the same as zoning out. It’s when the brain slips into a different mode—one that processes memories, imagines the future, and solves problems without effort. Studies suggest that this habit, once considered idle, actually supports brain functions like memory, creativity, and mental flexibility. Here, we’ll explore what recent research says about it and how to make space for it in your daily routine.

Daydreaming is a good habit for your brain

A Harvard study that tracked people via smartphone pings found that the average person’s mind wanders nearly half of their waking hours. While that might sound like a bad thing, it’s not. Neuroscientists are finding that those unstructured mental breaks may help the brain work better, not worse.

The key player here is the default mode network, or DMN. This brain system activates when you’re not focused on a specific task. It includes regions like the medial prefrontal cortex and the posterior cingulate cortex, which are involved in internal thought, autobiographical memory, and imagination. When you’re daydreaming, this network lights up.

Researchers have linked this mental state to multiple brain functions. For example, one study showed that short periods of wakeful rest—just 10 minutes—right after learning something can help you remember it better the next day. The brain seems to use these quiet gaps to replay and store what it just learned.

In one experiment, researchers recorded neurons in mice and found that their brains replayed patterns of activity not just from previous events, but in anticipation of what would happen next. These replays were tied to sharp-wave ripples in the hippocampus, a brain structure linked to memory and learning. That suggests that daydreaming may be how the brain fine-tunes its response to future experiences.

There’s also strong evidence that daydreaming boosts creativity. In a study on problem-solving, participants who took a break with a mind-wandering activity were more successful at coming up with new uses for a common object. Brain scans revealed that during these breaks, regions responsible for planning and memory—normally separate—worked together.

Even pain and stress seem to respond to mental drifting. One experiment had people picture a favorite meal while their hand sat in ice water. The result was lower pain and anxiety. Other studies found that people who allow their minds to wander experience fewer stress-related hormone spikes and return to tasks with sharper focus.

How to turn daydreaming into a healthy habit

Daydreaming works best when it’s part of your routine. Here are a few ways to invite it in:

Take brief breaks after learning something new, including reading, watching, or listening. Sit quietly with no distractions and let your mind settle.
Use repetitive tasks like showering, walking, or folding laundry to let thoughts wander. These are perfect moments for creative thinking.
Avoid trying to force focus during mental fatigue. A short daydreaming break can reset your attention.
Keep a notepad nearby. Ideas often show up when you’re not trying to find them.

The brain is never truly at rest. Even when you’re doing nothing on the outside, it’s busy making connections, testing ideas, and storing memories. Rather than resisting daydreaming, we should see it as a natural part of how the mind works. By allowing it to happen, you’re giving your brain room to do some of its most valuable work.