5 Things You Never Knew About Your Brain

5 Things You Never Knew About Your Brain
Our brain is truly amazing. It keeps working even while we sleep, changes as we age, and even makes electricity! Here are five surprising facts you may not have known about the most complex part of our body.

1. Your Brain Keeps Growing and Changing for Years
Many people think the brain stops developing once we grow up, but that's not true. Research shows the brain keeps changing and learning into our 40s and beyond. We can keep improving our thinking, decision-making, and memory for many years. That means it’s never too late to learn something new or create better habits.

2. The Brain Uses a Lot of Energy
The brain is only about 2% of your body weight, but it uses around 20% of your body’s oxygen and blood. That’s because it’s always working even when you’re asleep. Whether you’re thinking, moving, or just breathing, your brain is in charge. So if you feel tired after a long day of thinking, it makes sense, your brain has been busy!

3. Your Brain Makes Enough Electricity to Power a Small Light Bulb
Believe it or not, your brain produces about 23 watts of electricity while you're awake. That’s enough to light up a small bulb! This happens because billions of nerve cells (called neurons) send fast electric signals to help us think, speak, move, and react.

4. You Think About 70,000 Thoughts a Day
Studies say we think between 50,000 and 70,000 thoughts every day. That’s a lot! Many of those thoughts are repeated and sometimes negative. That’s why it helps to be aware of our thinking and try to focus on more positive, helpful thoughts.

5. The Brain Doesn’t Feel Pain
Even though your brain controls all the feelings in your body, it can’t feel pain itself. That’s because it doesn’t have pain nerves. This is why doctors can sometimes do brain surgery while a person is awake. Headaches don’t come from the brain, but from the tissues around it that do have pain sensors.