The truth about your brain

The one thing why your brain needs to stay sharp (Hint: It’s not puzzles)

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Your brain is one of the most powerful and mysterious organs in your body. It controls everything from your thoughts to your emotions and even processes information at lightning speed. But how much do you really know about it? Some long-believed myths about the brain have been debunked, while other surprising facts reveal just how incredible this organ truly is. Get ready to be amazed by these fascinating brain facts!

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You’ve probably heard this one before, but it’s completely false! While it’s true that not all parts of the brain fire at the same time, imaging studies show that most regions are active throughout the day, even when we sleep.

Your brain is constantly working, controlling bodily functions and emotions, and processing information. So next time someone says you’re only using 10% of your brain, you can confidently tell them that’s just a myth!

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Here’s a weird fact: While your brain processes pain signals from the rest of your body, it has no pain receptors of its own. This is why surgeons can perform brain surgery on conscious patients without causing them pain.

However, the membranes and tissues surrounding the brain do have pain receptors, which is why headaches and brain injuries can be so excruciating.

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How come we have headaches if the brain has no pain receptors? Well, that’s because headaches are triggered by chemical activity in the brain, changes in nerves and blood vessels, and even fluctuating serotonin levels.

In some cases, hormones like estrogen can also play a role, which explains why migraines are more common in women.

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Dreams are proof that your brain never rests! (Warning: this fact can make you feel exhausted.) While you sleep, your limbic system, that is, the part of the brain that deals with emotions, becomes especially active, which is why dreams often feel so intense.

On average, humans experience four to seven dreams per night, even if we don’t always remember them. And what about that scary nightmare about falling? Well, you can thank your amygdala, the brain’s fear center, for that one.

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Have you ever walked into a room and instantly forgotten what you were after? That’s because short-term memory only lasts about 20-30 seconds! That’s not enough!

Your brain holds a limited amount of information in its active state before deciding whether to store it or discard it. Ironically, we can’t really choose what makes the cut, but we do hope these facts stay with you!

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That sharp, icy pain when you eat something too cold? It’s your brain’s way of telling you to slow down! Officially called sphenopalatine ganglioneuralgia, a brain freeze happens when cold food or drinks rapidly chill the blood vessels in your throat, causing them to constrict and then rapidly expand. This sends pain signals to your brain, warning you of the sudden temperature shift. It’s annoying, but it’s actually your body trying to protect itself!

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You didn’t need us to tell you, but let’s look at the details: The average person has between 12,000 and 60,000 thoughts per day. What’s even more interesting? 95% of those thoughts are the same ones you had yesterday. Is that not surprising enough? Hear this out: 80% of them tend to be negative. That’s because our brains are wired for survival, constantly analyzing risks and potential dangers.

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Even though it only makes up about 2% of your body weight, your brain employs a major quantity of energy! It consumes 20% of your oxygen and blood supply, making it one of the most demanding organs in your body.

If your brain goes without oxygen for just five minutes, brain cells start dying, leading to irreversible damage. This is why deep breathing and cardiovascular exercise are great for brain health!

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Do you know that feeling when you hit the back of your head and see stars? That’s because your occipital lobe, which controls vision, is located at the back of your brain. If you get hit there, your brain momentarily misfires, causing flashes of light.

Interestingly, your brain processes vision on the opposite side; while your right brain controls your left eye, your left brain controls your right eye. It’s one of the many ways the brain operates in a complex way.

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Believe it or not, your brain generates between 12 and 25 watts of electricity when you’re awake. If you can’t really grasp how powerful that is, check this out: It’s enough to power a small light bulb! Your brain’s electrical activity is what allows neurons to send signals at speeds of up to 260 miles per hour.

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Your brain may be the fattiest organ in your body, consisting of at least 60% fat! This is why consuming healthy fats, like omega-3s and omega-6s present in fish, for example, is essential for brain health.

Healthy fats stabilize brain cell walls, reduce inflammation, and support cognitive function. So go ahead and enjoy that avocado toast, it’s food for your brain!

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It’s not just your memory that fades over time; the brain itself physically shrinks as one gets older. It continues developing until your late 40s, but after that, it slowly decreases in size.

Now, size doesn’t equal intelligence, so a smaller brain doesn’t necessarily mean a less capable one. Staying mentally active, exercising, and eating brain-boosting foods can help keep it in top shape!

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We often think of cholesterol as bad, but your brain actually depends on it! In fact, 25% of your body’s cholesterol is stored in your brain, where it helps with learning and memory. However, unlike other organs, the brain can’t absorb cholesterol from the blood, it has to produce its own. So, while too much cholesterol in the body can be harmful, the right amount is vital for brain function. At least you can use that as an excuse to get that burger!

Do you bluff often?

11 common phrases derived from board games and card games

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Since most games are composed of rules and repeated actions, it is only natural that certain phrases are repeated throughout the gameplay. The metaphorical potential of some of these phrases has led to them becoming part of our everyday language. Do you use any of these?

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This phrase, often used to describe a situation in which a goal is almost reached, comes from an old parlor game where the participant would roll two dice, hoping to get a seven and win a cigar.

If the resulting number were two fours, the croupier would say, "Oh, you rolled two fours? Close, but no cigar."

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In the game of Monopoly, a "Get Out of Jail" card is a useful commodity to have, since it saves you from spending time in the can, and it can be used whenever you want.

In the real world, when someone is said to "have a Get Out of Jail Card", this person can get away with things that would normally get them in trouble.

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This is a phrase often used to describe a suspicious statement, and it has its origin in the game Apples and Werewolves, where a character might say this line after noticing something suspicious.

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The phrase "drawing thin" usually refers to a situation in which your options are getting worse and worse every time.

This phrase originates from a Poker hand with very low but still feasible odds of winning.

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The phrase "move a knight" comes from the ancient game of Chess, and it refers to the action of moving one’s horse figure, the knight, into action.

In the real world, the saying "move a knight" is commonly used to describe an instance when someone made a bold and unexpected move.

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In a card game, an ante is the amount of money one puts on the table as his or her bet at the start of a game.

In the real world, this phrase is used to describe the action of paying the money for something.

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Within card games like Poker, the act of "showing your hands" implies laying down the cards and revealing them to the other players.

In the real world, showing one’s hand means being honest and open about one’s intentions.

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In the board game Catan, a situation can arise where a participant cannot access resources despite being the nearest one to them, while the other participants can.

Similarly, in the real world, the expression "to be Cataned" is used to describe the instance where someone is deprived of accessing resources despite his or her proximity to them.

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In the world of card games, "overplaying one’s hand" means thinking that one has better cards than the ones actually in possession.

Likewise, in the real world, overplaying one’s hand describes the action of overestimating one’s strength.

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When playing a card game, players often show their honesty by keeping their hands above the table, which was originally called "board".

In the real world, doing things above board means acting transparently and straightforwardly.

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When playing a card game, deciding when and how to execute each movement is paramount to your success. This is called "playing your cards right".

Similarly, in the real world, to play your cards right means to make the best of your opportunities and resources in order to achieve your goal.