COMMENTARY REPORT ON DAILY ACTIVITIES

Deconstructing my Week

As a college student, the majority of my everyday activities include waking up, exercising,

eating healthy, going to college, learning in class, taking notes, hanging out with friends, doing

assignments, and going to bed, etc. I try to keep myself active and manage my time properly. I

have been following a structured routine which helps me to save time and maintain my health.

The accomplishment of these daily activities gives stability to my everyday life.

Most of my daily activities are influenced by mood and emotions. The ability to perform

daily activities also depends on my physical health and the functioning of my cognitive skills.

Therefore, there are various biological, psychological, and cognitive factors that influence the

activities in our daily life. Some of my daily activities include waking up early, exercising,

taking notes in class, doing household chores, and going for a walk in the evening, sleep which is

further discussed below:

Waking up early

Waking up early is my priority every day as it gives me a sense of motivation to carry on

the rest of the activities of the day. It also gives me extra time to meditate, reflect and plan

everything before I start my day. Waking up early also makes me fresh and more active during

learning and performing physical and mental abilities. The research suggested that Age, gender,

and early waking time have positive correlations with physical activity level, and promoting an

early rising time is important for cultivating good health in young children (Jun Kohyama, 2007).

Rationale

Waking up early is an important habit for many people, as it allows them to start their day

in a relaxed and intentional way. Research has shown that early risers are more proactive and
COMMENTARY REPORT ON DAILY ACTIVITIES

anticipate problems and that this habit of older adults distinctly makes them happier than

younger adults. It is not a narcissistic way to show how great you are as a person, but rather a

tool that allows you to start your day positively and more intentionally. It gives you time to

focus on yourself and set yourself up for a successful day mentally, physically, and emotionally.

Cognitive processes and biological mechanism

Learning and conditioning

Learning is “a process that leads to change, which occurs as a result of experience and

increases the potential for improved performance and future learning” (Ambrose et al, 2010).

Learning is essential for growing as an individual, nurturing our minds, and improving our

quality of life. There are several approaches to learning, among which associative learning also

known as conditioning is a major approach to learning. Conditioning theory states that all human

behavior is the result of training or the habit of reacting to certain conditions or stimuli. (Basri et

al, 2020).

Similarly, waking up early every day is a habit an individual is required to develop

voluntarily. It is not a happy experience for most people. For example, I generally don’t get up

early consciously or intentionally so I set an alarm to wake up on time. In order to do that, I have

conditioned myself to wake up and be alert every time I hear the alarm. Furthermore, I need

motivation and reinforcement to wake up early in the morning. I usually drink coffee and make a

healthy breakfast as a reward to myself. These are conditioning processes I use to wake up early

in the morning.
COMMENTARY REPORT ON DAILY ACTIVITIES

Learning is achieved by changing the strength and numbers of neural pathways, known as

synaptic plasticity. This process increases the speed of conduction for electrical signals between

cells when an activity is performed more frequently. Another biological process involved in

learning is Long-term potentiation (LTP). LTP is the persistent strengthening of synapses based

on recent patterns of activity. It is the opposite of long-term depression (LTD), which produces a

long-lasting decrease in synaptic strength. LTP is widely considered one of the major cellular

mechanisms that underlies learning and memory, and studies on the hippocampus have found it

to occur during associative learning. It is based on the Hebbian principle, which explains

associative learning and provides a biological basis for the pairing of stimulus and response in

classical conditioning. Additionally, learning can be influenced by external psychological factors

such as motivation, external rewards, benefits, obligations, and external sources of stress which

approach is behavioural psychologists such as Ian Pavlov, BF Skinner and many more.

Decision making

The decision-making process is choosing among two or more courses of action for a given

situation. Waking up early every morning requires decision making, whether you decide to wake

up as soon as you alarm rings or click a snooze button or go back to sleep. On a typical

morning, most people don't wake up naturally. The ring of an alarm clock probably jerks them

out of sleep, and they may not understand where they are or why there's an infernal chiming

sound. They may hit the snooze button to give themselves a few extra minutes to collect their

thoughts, but this is actually making the wake-up process more difficult and drawn out. This

phenomenon is known as sleep inertia, and the harder we feel it is for us to wake up, the worse

we think we've slept.

COMMENTARY REPORT ON DAILY ACTIVITIES

Sleep inertia is caused by the slow activation of our brain-stem arousal systems, especially

the prefrontal cortex, which takes longer to come on board. This affects our memory, reaction

time, ability to perform basic mathematical tasks, and alertness and attention. As a result, our

decisions are neither rational nor optimal. In the grip of sleep inertia, we may well do something

we know we shouldn't. Whether or not to hit the snooze button is just about the first decision we

make.

Exercising

Blair (1985) defined exercise as a subcategory of physical activity that is planned,

structured, repetitive, and purposive in the sense that improvement or maintenance of one or

more components of physical fitness is objective Activities such as occupational, household, and

many daily tasks are typically performed in the most efficient manner possible, but a worker

may plan and structure the performance of some work tasks less efficiently to develop muscular

strength or to "burn up" calories. Tasks regularly performed in this manner are considered

exercises (C J Caspersen, 1985).

Rationale

Exercise is essential for good health and fresh mind, and there is evidence that people who

lead active lifestyles are less likely to suffer from illness and live longer (MJ Stampfer, 2000). It

can be done through moderate-intensity exercise or vigorous-intensity exercise, and one

continuous session combined with multiple shorter sessions is acceptable. Exercising the body is

important for various reasons, such as increasing growth and development, preventing aging,

strengthening muscles and the cardiovascular system, honing athletic skills, weight loss or

maintenance, and enjoyment. It can also help prevent stress and depression, increase quality of
COMMENTARY REPORT ON DAILY ACTIVITIES

sleep, help promote or maintain positive self-esteem, improve mental health, maintain steady

digestion, and treat constipation and gas.

Cognitive processes and biological mechanisms

Enhances cognitive functions and memories

The researches has found that exercise can create new brain cells and improve overall brain

performance. It also increases levels of BDNF, a brain-derived protein that helps with decision-

making, higher thinking, and learning (Griffin, 2011) Regular physical activity can also sharpen

memory and improve vocabulary retention among healthy adults (Winter B, 2007).

Maintains physical health

Regular exercise makes the heart stronger and the lungs fitter, reducing the risk of heart

attack, stroke, and coronary artery disease. It also stretches muscles and joints, improves

balance, strengthens bones, and prevents osteoporosis. Exercise is a series of sustained muscle

contractions that can help to increase or maintain muscle mass and strength, reduce joint and

lower back pain, and reduce the risk of hip fracture (Ajmer Singh, 2007). It also helps to

strengthen heart muscles, reduce stroke and the risk of heart disease, and prevent obesity

(Burleson, 1998). Regular exercise can be done 30 minutes a day, five days a week, or broken up

into quick and manageable 10-minute sessions, three times a day (American Heart Association).

Regular exercise and proper nutrition can help reduce body fat, but diabetes and exercise pose

unique challenges. To exercise safely, it is important to track blood sugar before, during, and

after physical activity. A review on food and fitness also found that physical activity can lower

blood glucose up to 24 hours after exercise, making the body more sensitive to insulin. It is
COMMENTARY REPORT ON DAILY ACTIVITIES

estimated that 30 to 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per day is needed to

protect against colon cancer, endometrial cancer, and lung cancer (Lee I, 2006).

Psychological well being

Exercise has many mental benefits, such as reducing stress and anxiety, boosting happy

chemicals, improving self-confidence, and improving positive self-image. Studies have shown

that exercise can even improve symptoms among the clinically depressed, and can be just as

effective as antidepressant pills in treating depression (Esfahani N, 2002). Aerobic and anaerobic

physical training is beneficial for overall health, and 30 Minutes of exercise for 5 or more days a

week helps in lowering desperation and mental stress (Pretty J, 2005). Good quality sleep helps

improve overall wellness and can reduce stress. Exercise can also help people with anxiety

disorders calm down, and jumping on the track or treadmill for moderate-to-high-intensity

aerobic exercise can reduce anxiety sensitivity. Finally, higher energy levels resulting from

exercise can help a person stay fresh and happy.

Taking notes in the class

Taking good notes in class is an important part of academic life in college. It helps me to

focus and better understand main concepts, improve active listening, comprehension, and

retention, and help me better remember what I hear and see. Good notes are essential for

reviewing and studying class material to better understand it and prepare for exams. Taking

efficient and concise notes can save time, energy, and confusion and can provide a great resource

for creating outlines and studying.

COMMENTARY REPORT ON DAILY ACTIVITIES

Rationale

Note-taking is an important tool for learning, but many students are unaware of its benefits.

Good note-taking practices can lead to structured study practices, productive course outcomes,

and improved control of content beyond a course's conclusion. It is important to cultivate note-

taking skills over the course of one's education. Thus, it is important to understand the cognitive

and biological mechanisms required for notes making.

Cognitive processes and biological mechanisms

Working memory

Working memory is essential for all cognitive activities that require temporary storage and

manipulation of information, such as comprehension and writing (Daneman & Merikle, 1996).

Multiple cognitive processes must be coordinated in rapid succession for note-taking to be

successful. To overcome the restricted capacity of working memory, note-takers may choose

between two main strategies. Note-taking involves two cognitive activities: comprehension

(listening or reading and noting the less possible) and transcription (without processing the

content of what is heard or read) (Piolat, 2003). Therefore, the auditory or visual information is

received and used at the same time when making notes during class. Online verbatim

transcription of speech poses a serious psychomotor problem that note takers solve by giving up

the transcription of letters, words, parts of sentences, and even whole sentences.

However, abbreviating procedures are not always effective for resolving the variation of

rate between fast oral production and slow writing. The cognitive effort of note-taking varies

according to different situations such as the nature of the information noted, the domain
COMMENTARY REPORT ON DAILY ACTIVITIES

knowledge of the note-taker about the lecture or the reading, and the assessment of the number

of cognitive resources required by a complex cognitive activity(Kahneman, 1973).

The brain has a wide-ranging network involving frontal and parietal regions that are

responsible for working memory tasks. Evidence suggests that theta oscillations from the

hippocampus may play a role in working memory. However, it is not known how the parietal

brain regions can communicate with distant prefrontal brain regions (Berger et al.,2019).

Doing household chores

Household chores are my everyday activity, sometimes it’s my way of escaping from my

thoughts and stresses. I like doing household d chores which include, cleaning the house,

washing dishes, doing laundry, and sometimes cooking. I do household as a form of self-care

and care for others. Doing household chores also gives me a sense of accomplishment and it’s a

good feeling to stay in a clean and organized place.

Rationale

During the pandemic, when everyone was locked inside their house, I thought I would die of

boredom. But I started with household chores and learning to cook, organizing my house and I

felt a sense of calmness. I saw other people also doing household chores and passing their time

which made me feel how beneficial it is to do household work. Therefore, it is important to

understand the cognitive and biological mechanisms during household chores.

Cognitive processes and biological mechanism

Executive functions
COMMENTARY REPORT ON DAILY ACTIVITIES

Executive functions are cognitive processes associated with self-regulation and goal-

directed behavior, typically developed in early childhood and continuing into adulthood. The

studies have found evidence that children who engaged in more household chores had better

inhibition and WM, as reported by their parents or guardians (Deanna L. Tepper, 2022). Chore

engagement also improves executive functions by allowing individuals to plan, self-regulate,

switch between tasks, and remember instructions.

Executive function is essential for higher-order mental function, mediated by prefrontal

cortical function and modulated by dopaminergic, noradrenergic, serotonergic, and cholinergic

input. Changes in these neurotransmitter systems can have a grave impact on executive function,

and polymorphisms in genes associated with these neurotransmitters are associated with

phenotypic differences in executive function: attention, cognitive flexibility, and impulse

control. Impairment in executive functioning is linked to the forward regions of the frontal lobe,

as well as the cortical and sub-cortical regions of the brain. The prefrontal cortex, basal ganglia,

thalamus, and hypothalamus are important parts of the brain involved in executive functions.

1. Evening walk

After a long day in college, I usually feel drained out and mentally exhausted. So, I go for a

walk to clear my mind and help myself relax. Evening walks allow me to work the muscles that I

do not use much during the day because I have to sit all day in class. This also helps in relaxing

my body and mind. I feel relaxed and refreshed after a 30-minute walk every day I can come

back and continue the rest of the day until I go to bed. Walking in the evening is a great way to

stay fit and happy. It has a positive impact on your body and makes you feel better mentally,

rejuvenating all senses and reducing the risk of hypertension and overstressing.

Rationale
COMMENTARY REPORT ON DAILY ACTIVITIES

The most beautiful things about evening walks are you get to reflect on yourself on a

different level. The sky is beautiful, and the breeze and the sights of birds flying and the streets

lighting up make me realize how blessed and lucky I am. It’s like seeing the world with a

different set of eyes. Therefore, it is important to understand the biological and cognitive

mechanisms during evening walks.

Perception

Perception is a cognitive process that involves interpreting information gained through the

five senses, such as sight, taste, smell, sound, and touch. For example, the smell of a particular

flower may remind you of a specific person and bring back a pleasant memory. Similarly,

evening walks give a sense of calmness and relaxation that cannot be perceived at any time of

the day. The researchers suggested that the transition from night to day, light and dark, has a

significant impact on perception, and the time of day has a particularly significant impact on the

quality of visual signals around us. The study also found that during twilight, the signal-to-noise

ratio in the sensory areas of the brain improves, leading to a better perception of weak visual

stimuli (Cordani et al, 2018). The body independently downregulates resting activity in the

sensory areas during dawn and dusk, allowing test persons to perceive weak visual stimuli better

than at other times of the day. This suggests that perception sharpens not only in the visual

system but also in the auditory and somatosensory regions of the brain. This may be the reason

we perceive differently because of our improved senses during the time of evening.

Therefore, perception is an individual's interpretation of a sensation. It occurs at the brain

level through a sensory pathway, where action potentials from sensory receptors travel along

neurons dedicated to a particular stimulus. All sensory signals, except those from the olfactory

system, are transmitted through the central nervous system and routed to the thalamus and the
COMMENTARY REPORT ON DAILY ACTIVITIES

appropriate region of the cortex. The thalamus is a structure in the forebrain that serves as a

clearinghouse and relay station for sensory (as well as motor) signals.

These are my everyday activities and the underlying biological and cognitive mechanisms

involved in activities I perform daily.

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COMMENTARY REPORT ON DAILY ACTIVITIES

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