daydream facts

Photo: Thinkstock

5 of 5

NEXT

SLIDESHOW

They're a Symptom of Youth
If you've ever worried that your chronic dreaminess is actually an early sign of senility, here's some relief. For better or for worse, distraction from a task is more common among the young, found a study at the University of North Carolina, Greensboro. In a battery of tasks, some easy and others difficult, seniors mind-wandered far less than college students (about one-third versus one-half). Although both groups scored equally well overall, older people's thoughts—thanks to more discipline, less working memory, fewer distractions...it's not yet known—were more grounded in the here and now.

Next: 9 amazing facts about dreams