by Jesse Southerlin

Created on: November 23, 2009

Boredom can strike at anytime for a multitude of reasons. Whether you lack interest in a conversation, or find the movie you are watching to be redundant, anyone can get bored. There is nothing more brain-numbing than the boredom monster, and when he has you in his grasp, it could be a while until he's finished with you.

Some people find that their jobs are the main contributor to their boredom, while others find themselves participating in a social activity outside of work that is more boring than actually being at work.

The science behind boredom is rather exciting compared to the state-of-being itself. Our brain dictates how we move, sense, and well, stay alive. Everything we do sends a message to the brain, which then deciphers this message, and sends a response to the body accordingly.

When you open a present for your birthday, and you don't know what it is, there is always a sense of excitement and wonder. After two days of playing with your new toy, gadget or whatever, the luster has dulled, and you are no longer excited about the present. You could say that you have become bored.

When you see or experience something for the first time, your brain is receiving and sending signals at a rapid pace, trying to retain as much information as possible. Your brain takes in all of the signals picked up by your five senses, and stores all of that information for future reference.

Your brain makes a library of everything you have experienced, and once you experience something again and again, the initial feeling of stimulation dissipates. Think of an experience as a bridge being built across your mind. Building the bridge can be exciting because it is unfamiliar territory, but as soon as that bridge is complete, traversing it in the future will not be as exciting as before.

There is not much that one can do to stay excited, and I am sure that its probably not healthy to stay in a state of constant excitement, but that's not to say that boredom is the better alternative. Time seems to slow, the mind wanders in an attempt to escape monotony, but sometimes there is nothing it can do to soothe the boredom.

These days it may be a little easier to stay intrigued and excited than it was twenty years ago. With the popularity and wide expansion of mobile media devices, people have access to many different entertainment outlets. Even so, boredom has a way of sneaking up on you, regardless of how many apps, and games you may have on your digital device.

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