There's Only So Much Room in Your Brain

I was listening to an NPR broadcast this past Saturday.  A neuroscientist from California was doing a study about the brain.  He asked a group of people in one room to remember a certain number given to them. Some people got a two-digit number to memorize and recall.  Other people got a six-digit number to memorize and recall.  No one knew whose number was whose or who got a longer number or not.  Then, each person was asked to leave the room and move to another room down the hall where they'd be asked to recall their number.  Unbeknownst to the participants, they were greeted in the hallway by a person offering a snack of either healthy fruit or chocolate cake.  This is where the work of the study was taking place.  There was an overwhelming choice of fruit by the two-digit people.  The six-digit people were most likely to choose cake.  The scientist determined that when the rational part of the brain is working hard (remembering six digits) it cannot also make additional rational choices such as eat healthy fruit instead of sugary, caloric cake.

We can use this information to our advantage during this busy holiday time with so much temptation all around.  We only have so much "real estate" available in our brains to make decisions.  This reminds me of "decision fatigue."   Yet another study I heard regarding prisoners who were coming up for release.  When researchers compared prisoners who were released and those who were not, they noticed that the prisoners whose cases were reviewed in the afternoon were far more likely NOT to be released--even when they had comparable cases compared to the morning prisoners.  The scientists realized that the review board suffered from "decision fatigue."  After having made so many decisions already, instead of risking the wrong choice, they deferred the cases of the afternoon prisoners.  OUCH.  Clearly, the brain can only handle so much. This can help explain why is is harder to make healthy choices later in the day, like from 3PM - bedtime.

Let's be clear--of course there is a time and place for cake.  Let's not pretend that we would always vote for fruit instead of cake no matter what else we are thinking or what time it is.  However, we do want to set ourselves up for as much success as possible.  By slowing down long enough to consider our choices, we can let go of whatever else might be occupying our thoughts.  We can then benefit from smarter choices. That benefit can bring more personal satisfaction.  That benefit can help us shift our thinking.   That's where lifestyle change begins.