10 Facts About The Brain
April 2025
“Modern neuroscience has uncovered incredible insights into how the brain works, from its ability to rewire itself to its role in shaping perception, emotion, and identity. Yet despite decades of research, we’re still only beginning to grasp its full complexity. Many of the brain’s most fascinating functions, like consciousness, intuition, and memory formation, remain only partially understood. The more we uncover, the more questions arise.” - Neuroglobe
1) Your brain can’t tell the difference between imagination and reality.
Studies have shown that visualisation can help to rewire your brain in the same way that physical practice does. In fact, research has demonstrated that when athletes combine visualisation with physical practice, their performance improves by as much as 45%. It has been shown that over 90% of athletes use some form of visualisation technique to boost their performance.
2) 95% of your thoughts are automatic patterns shaped by your environment.
Your brain is wired towards negativity for survival. Every positive thought is accompanied by up to ten negative thoughts. Challenging these automatic patterns can be, well, a challenge, as your thoughts, ideas and beliefs are shaped by your environment and the people in it. Practice living with intention to take control of your life.
3) Negative thoughts leave physical scars on your brain.
Research has shown that practicing gratitude can improve happiness, help you feel more satisfied in life, boost your self-esteem and significantly improve your mental health and wellbeing. Gratitude can literally help to physically heal your brain.
4) Your brain processes up to 60,000 thoughts per day.
No wonder it’s so difficult to quiet your thoughts. In fact, it’s impossible! Mental clarity comes from focusing on the thoughts that serve you and shutting out the ones that don’t.
5) Your brain uses 20% of your body’s total energy.
This is despite your brain accounting for only 2% of your body’s total weight. Feeding your brain with the right nutrition will allow you to function at a much higher level. This includes essential fatty acids such as EPA and DHA, B vitamins and vitamin D.
6) Your brain is 60% fat and needs healthy fats to survive.
Eating foods high in omega-3 and other essential fatty acids directly impacts your ability to focus and learn. Sources of omega-3 include oily fish such as salmon, sardines and mackerel, as well as flax seeds, chia seeds and walnuts.
7) Your brain never stops growing.
Neuroplasticity refers to the brains ability to change and adapt by forming new connections and strengthening exisiting ones throughout your lifetime. This means that no matter how old you are, your brain can learn, heal and adapt.
8) The brain has more connections than stars in the galaxy.
Your potential is unlimited if you know how to tap into it. Meditation is one way to access different brain waves, such as alpha brain waves. Alpha brain waves are associated with increased creativity, as well as reducing stress and promoting calmness.
9) Your brain can rewire itself in 15 minutes.
Being intentional about your thoughts and actions can rewire your brain almost immediately. Neurons that “wire together, fire together”, meaning that repeated activation of interconnected neurons strengthens their connections to facilitate learning and memory.
10) Chronic stress literally shrinks your brain.
The hypothalamus in your brain literally shrinks when your body is under long-term stress due to increased cortisol levels. The good news is that the hypothalamus will also regenerate when the stress is removed, which is why managing stress is so critical for cognitive function.
Neuroglobe sums it up the best! “Research shows that the brain isn’t limited to a fraction of its capacity, nor is intelligence fixed at birth. Neurogenesis, the birth of new brain cells, continues throughout life, and neuroplasticity allows the brain to rewire, adapt, and even recover from damage. The more we understand neuroscience, the more we realise the brain isn’t fragile - it’s adaptable, resilient, and capable of incredible growth.”
Reference:
www.neuroglobe.store