Your Brain - 15 fascinating facts you didn’t know about your brain

From the Amen Newsletter. I really enjoy reading these.  Click here to SUBSCRIBE NOW!


This is from one of his Dec 2010 posts

■The average human brain weights about 3 pounds. Compare that to the brain of a sperm whale brain (17 pounds), dog (2.5 ounces), cat (1 ounce), and goldfish (1/333 ounce).


■The human brain may not be the largest of all brains, but it is the biggest when compared to body size.


■During waking hours, the brain generates between 10 and 23 watts of power—enough to light a light bulb.


■Information in the brain travels at speeds of up to 268 miles per hour, faster than the racecars in the Indy 500, unless of course you are drunk, then things really slow down.


■Your brain is approximately 80% water.


■Your brain is estimated to have more than 100 billion neurons (also called nerve cells or brain cells), which is about the number of stars in the Milky Way galaxy.


■Each neuron is connected to other neurons by up to 40,000 individual connections called synapses.


■Your brain has more connections than there are stars in the universe.


■A piece of brain tissue the size of a grain of sand contains 100,000 neurons and 1 billion synapses all “talking” to each other.


■A wrinkled brain makes you smarter! The brain’s wrinkles, grooves, and ridges give it more surface area and more processing power.


■Your brain represents only about 2 percent of your body weight, but it consumes about 25% of the calories you consume, 25% of the total blood flow in your body, and 20% of the oxygen you breathe.


■The idea that we only use 10% of our brains is a MYTH! You may not use every neuron in your brain at the same time, but each is important.


■Your brain doesn’t fully mature until you reach about 25 years of age.


■Your brain NEVER turns off or even rests, not even while you sleep. Your brain is very active at night, especially during dreaming.


■Contrary to popular belief, your brain never stops changing and can continue to form new neural connections throughout your lifetime.


Your brain is the most complicated, amazing organ in the universe! It controls everything you do, feel, and think. Take care of it. Commit to better brain health in the New Year. You can find simply tips, daily reminders, and more in the Change Your Brain, Change Your Body Daily Journal.


By Dr. Amen
Posted in Brain Health and Wellness
Copyright 2009, Amen Clinics Inc., A Medical Corporation. All rights reserved.