Limiting mental activity during the day increases subsequent cognitive performance

The claim suggests that limiting mental activity during the day increases subsequent cognitive performance, which aligns with recovering from mental fatigue. However, the retrieved papers consistently show that mental fatigue impairs cognitive performance (such as decision-making, memory, and reaction times), while interventions that reduce fatigue (like NSDR in paper [1]) or rest restore cognitive capacity rather than suggesting that restricted mental activity inherently boosts performance beyond baseline. Moreover, studies like [3], [7], and [8] explicitly demonstrate the detrimental effects of mental fatigue on subsequent tasks. Therefore, the claim is not supported; the evidence indicates that mental fatigue harms cognitive outcomes and that recovery restores function.