It’s Brain Awareness Week (March 14-20th) and Albert Einstein’s Birthday!
With that in mind, I want to remind you how incredible your brain is!
As you might realize, your brain is the most complex creation in the Universe. It is your most valuable wealth building asset, how you process and navigate your world.
Here are some facts:
- Your brain is made up of about 100 billion neurons (brain cells).
- There are more connections in it than there are stars in the universe.
- The average human brain weighs about 3 pounds. (Einstein’s was about 2.7 pounds.)
- Your brain is about 80% water.
- The average adult brain is about 2% of your body weight, but uses about 20% of your body’s calories, blood and oxygen.
- It generates about 10-23 watts of power, enough to power a small light bulb.
- There are no pain receptors in the brain, so the brain feels no pain. Doctors can operate on your brain while you’re awake and you won’t feel a thing.
- The left side of your brain controls the right side of your body; and the right side of your brain controls the left side of your body.
- There are about 100,000 miles of blood vessels in the brain.
- Information in your brain travels faster than a couple hundred miles and hour.
- The average brain has about 60 to 70 thousand thoughts a day.
There has been more discovered about your brain in the past couple decades then the previous couple thousand years. Two exciting conclusions from neuroscientists suggest that while your brain grows older, in some ways it can get better.
The first is Neurogenesis, or the birth of new brain cells. It was once thought this occurred only in developmental stages. However, recent research has shown that neurogenesis continues throughout adult life. That means humans continue to make new neurons throughout life in response to mental activity and you can create new brain cells at any age.
The second is Neuroplasticity, your brain’s ability to rewire itself as a result of life experiences. That’s right, our brains are like plastic. It is the lifelong ability of the brain to reorganize neural pathways based on new experiences and learnings. Every time you recall a memory or have a new thought, you are creating a new connection in your brain. As we learn, we make new connections as we acquire new knowledge and skills throughout life.
Neuroscientists tell us now that our brain can also rejuvenate and improve itself. Our brain forms new neurons and connections throughout our lives.
What we do day to day influences our brain’s function, and we can participate actively and consciously in the rewiring of our brain.
Consider for a moment how much power you actually have to shape and change your brain and your life. It’s never too late to change, build new empowering habits and learn new & powerful skills!
Thanks for this information Jim. This is great for people to realize we can “rewire” ourselves and determine how we think about things.
If people will understand and accept the facts you write about above, there would be no limits on our lives.
thank you
You must be a genious. I love your posts, will come back later.
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This week is brain awareness week! The Dana Foundation offers a great collection of resources, including education and science tools, puzzles, graphs and tips for planning your own Brain Awareness Week activities.
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