The Consequences of Thinking Too Much

Although research shows that thinking stimulates certain areas of the brain, it also points to the dangers of "thinking too much".

One study found that people who have to make difficult decisions and were sure about their answers had more brain cells in their frontal lobe, in an area called the anterior prefrontal cortex. The frontal lobe (located as its name suggests at the front of your brain) plays a key role in higher mental functions such as motivation, planning, social behaviour, and speech production. The part of the frontal lobe, called the anterior prefrontal cortex, has been linked to integrating the outcomes of two or more separate cognitive operations in the pursuit of a higher behavioural goal.

Research also warns that worrying and brooding about a decision can have a negative impact on working memory, the kind of memory used to remember recent events and to use this information for something, such as remembering where you parked your car. The results of the study suggested that thinking too much about decisions can lead to difficulties with memory and depression.

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It's good to think, but not too much