How to reduce the load during data processing in a loop?

Question

Node.js

At the request of the user, I process a large amount of content, in particular images, everything happens in a cycle (async.each). Processing of images consists in cropping and resizing them, then archiving takes place. I have not yet tested this action on loads, but I think the load will not be small.
How can you reduce it? For example, to process an image with some kind of interval, this is the first time I encounter this and my thoughts rest only on setTimeout, will it allow the server to take a break? Or is there something more interesting?
For example, I want to do something like this

async.each(data, function(x, callback) {

    setTimeout(function(){
         // тут выполняю какие то действия

         callback(null);
    });

}, function(){
    callback(null, data);
});

Will it roll? Alternatives?

Answer 1

The load cannot be put anywhere, it can only be transferred in time. For example, you have something else being done in parallel and you need at least a little processor - then yes, it makes sense to put Timeout for example 1 second in it, the processor will do its rest and continue to work. Or put everything in a queue and run the task at night when no one notices.
Well, or rewrite the operation with a high load in low-level languages.