The Default Mode Network (DFN) is the neuroscientific term for the parts of your brain that are active when you are not performing a task, i.e. the brain is “resting”. The problem is that in this state our brain does not rest but instead becomes active in “rumination” mode, which can be unpleasant. Therefore, most people are not comfortable just sitting there, they prefer some kind of stimulus like music, video games, social media, etc. I have described all of this and the remedies in the previous post Calm down your “default mode.” I wanted to know more about it, so I talked to Gemini about it. This was done with Gemini 3.0 in “thinking mode” with the deep research tool enabled, so not only is it using its own training data, but it is conducting a thorough search of relevant sources on the web.
I was particularly interested in many areas where there is overlap between DFN descriptions and what meditation teachers refer to as “monkey mind.” This happens to most people when they try to meditate. You will be given a basic instruction such as “Sit upright with your eyes closed and watch your breath come in and out.” But as soon as you try that, your mind becomes flooded with thoughts about the idiot who cut you off in traffic, about the rude thing someone said yesterday, worrying about your upcoming tax bill, etc. This behavior of the mind is called the monkey mind because it babbles loudly and jumps around. From what I have read, this is similar to descriptions of the DFN’s activities.
This led me to ask Gemini: “Meditation teachers talk about the “monkey mind,” the incessant chatter we notice in our heads when we try to meditate. This appears to be very similar to standard mode network activity. Is this comparison valid?” The resulting report is Here.
I found thorough research did a great job. The answer is mostly yes, with some caveats. Hyperactive DFN causes restlessness and an inability to relax in all of us, and is even more problematic in conditions such as ADHD. And meditation techniques to calm the monkey mind also significantly reduce the activity of the DFN, resulting in a relaxing feeling.
The caveat is that the DFN still has utility. From the report: “The evolutionary evidence from nonhuman primates further suggests that the ‘monkey mind’ is a biological reality rooted in an evolutionarily conserved ‘guardian’ and ‘simulative’ system.” It can help us learn from the past and plan better for the future. But “the “monkey mind” in the modern human context only becomes pathological when it ruminates on non-survival psychological threats, leading to chronic stress and unhappiness.” So it’s not about getting rid of the DFN’s activity, but rather training it and making it a useful helper: “The chattering monkey can actually be transformed into a concentrated and calm observer.”
Mindfulness and meditation are important tools for this, and I will discuss my research on this in future posts.
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I am a mechanical engineer, born in 1953, Ph.D., Stanford, 1980. I have been working in the mechanical CAE field for decades. I also have a lifelong interest in outdoor activities and fitness. Due to a genetic condition, I had both hips and a heart valve replaced. This blog chronicles my adventures in staying active despite these bumps in the road.
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