10% Happier with Dan Harris What Distraction Does to Your Brain—and How To Regain Cognitive Control | Adam Gazzaley
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May 26, 2025 
Adam Gazzaley, a renowned neurologist and founder of UCSF's Neuroscape, dives into the detrimental effects of distraction on our brains. He discusses how multitasking harms attention and memory, leading to heightened anxiety. Gazzaley explains the importance of cognitive control and shares practical strategies to regain it, like meditation. The conversation also touches on controversial technologies that could improve brain function and the healing power of music and rhythm in cognitive enhancement. Tune in for insights on navigating our technology-driven world.
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Multitasking is a Neurological Myth
- Multitasking is a computer term; the brain can only focus on one thing at a time.
- What we call multitasking is actually rapid switching, which leads to doing multiple things poorly.
Understanding Cognitive Control
- Cognitive control includes attention, working memory, and task switching.
- Each of these cognitive functions is fragile and degrades with interference and multitasking.
Multitasking's Cascading Harms
- Multitasking degrades memory, perception, decision-making, and affects relationships and sleep.
- This creates a cascading negative impact across many areas of life.
