Summer means vacation and a break for many workers: we turn off our computers, forget about email, meetings disappear, the boss vanishes, and, with a bit of luck, even that voice that tells us, “You should be productive.” We put our bodies on pause and go in search of relaxation and fun in generous doses.
The pace of work, its constant flirtation with stress, and the risk of mental overload make us dream of a summer without a care in the world. We even dream of letting our brains go into “flat EEG” mode, because we think that’s what rest is. But that’s a mistake.
As neuroscience shows us, the brain doesn’t “switch off” when at rest. Doing nothing doesn’t mean not thinking about anything. Quite the opposite: our brain wanders , which isn’t exactly relaxing . And so, we may find that the more we want to forget about work or stress, lying under a parasol with the soothing sound of the sea in the background, the more we return to certain unsettling thoughts.
Executive functions on vacation
One way to avoid this and ensure our brain truly rests and recharges is to keep our executive functions active. These are the functions that allow us to control our thoughts and behavior, preventing us from living on autopilot or acting on impulse. They depend primarily on the prefrontal cortex , the area responsible for keeping our goals active, establishing the rules necessary to achieve them, and focusing the rest of our cognitive activity on pursuing them.
Executive functions are divided into “cold” and “hot” functions. “Cold” functions are the cognitive processes we use when reasoning, planning, or changing strategies in abstract, emotionally neutral situations. “Hot” functions, on the other hand, come into play when emotions are involved : a temptation, a risk, a victory, a defeat. In this second case, they depend on a somewhat different neural network , with a greater emphasis on brain areas connected to circuits of emotion and motivation.
And so, if throughout the year working memory helps us get better grades or achieve better work goals ; cognitive flexibility – which allows us to switch from one task to another without getting stuck – predicts how much risk we take in financial decisions; and behavioral inhibition – or the gift of biting our tongue before putting our foot in it – allows us to make better decisions and lead under pressure , during the summer all of them need to be exercised in other ways so that the disconnection is truly restorative.
Board games and sports
A good board game helps hone executive functions: simply reading the rules challenges working memory. The first few games demand flexibility and inhibition (cold executive functions). But it’s the competition—the desire to win, watching our star piece disappear, managing the rivalry with our brother-in-law—that ignites hot executive functions. It’s about trying to control frustration, tolerating uncertainty, and making decisions with adrenaline pumping. So, if we feel the competitive itch kicking in during Trivial Pursuit, we can rest easy: it’s our executive functions giving it their all, not a bout of sore losing.
Something similar happens with sports. Running alone (cold executive functions) is not the same as trying out a sport with an opponent, uncertainty, and adrenaline. Padel, climbing, table tennis, and “open-skill” sports are activities where you have to react in real time to what the other person is doing, and therefore, they train hot executive functions more than predictable, solitary sports.
And incidentally, learning a new sport generates structural changes in brain regions linked to executive function: that is, new neural connections are created. So, that initial swing of the racket to the face will hopefully translate into making us a more competent person after the holidays.
The ideal formula for summer
Summer offers a relaxed opportunity to get in shape. Low-stress outdoor recreational activities are especially good for attention, behavioral inhibition, and cognitive flexibility. Breaking away from a sedentary lifestyle also activates the prefrontal cortex and improves neuronal efficiency .
So, what do I do with my free time? The ideal formula is: low stress, active body, and tackling a cognitive challenge with a bit of emotional spice—a game we want to win or a sport we haven’t yet mastered. Perfect brain training, keeping executive functions cool and engaged at the same time.
Even before going on vacation, we can start incorporating active breaks (light physical activity between work or study hours), adding a small cognitive challenge (like squats while counting backward from 50 by threes). The very act of choosing which board game to challenge someone to this summer also involves planning and decision-making.
A restorative time
What good is all this when it’s time to go back to work? Well, it has an important effect. The most recent scientific evidence suggests that, to recharge our batteries (what research calls “work recovery”), we need to achieve four things: disconnect psychologically, relax, have autonomy and decision-making power over what we do with our free time, and learn something new or overcome a challenge, something that reduces the feeling of exhaustion and helps us feel competent.
The benefits of vacation don’t last forever, and in the first few weeks back to our routines, we can stop feeling their effects . That’s why a cognitive challenge with emotional touches makes all the difference: it not only prolongs the “great vacation” feeling, but also strengthens our executive functions, helping us better handle that first Monday back.
Author Bios: Patricia Teea Gligan Gligan is a PhD student. Area of Psychology and Physical Activity, Marta Torrijos-Muelas is Assistant Professor. Department of Psychology. Faculty of Education of Cuenca and Sixto González-Víllora who is a University Professor of Physical Education and Sports Pedagogy all at the University of Castilla-La Mancha
