EYES
Does it seem like that bestseller you're reading is hard to follow? The problem may just be your eyes. Each time we shift them to read more of a sentence, our brain takes a mini-vacation. According to University of Illinois psychologist David Irwin, Ph.D., when our eyes change focus from one point to another--what's called a saccade--some of our cognitive abilities shut down. affecting our ability to handle spacial and visual tasks. Though these pauses last only one-thirtieth of a second, over a day they add up to an hour of cerebral downtime.
In addition to making us less efficient, these cognitive hiccups can wreak havoc. When it comes to jobs that demand intense visual concentration, like landing a plane, Irwin says, saccades may mean the difference between life and death. Addressing the problem, however, isn't so easy. After all, we can't simply keep our eyes still. But, says irwin, we can design an environment that allows us to move them less. Airplanes, for instance, can be built with "head-up" displays that let pilots monitor velocity, altitude, and cabin pressure without having to glance down at an instrument panel.
