10 Incredibly Brainy Facts

Studies have found that stress can cause areas of the brain to shrink or enlarge over time. A study on rats found that prolonged stressed cause the hippocampus, part of the brain responsible for memory, to shrink.

When we think we're multi-tasking, we're actually doing something called context-switching. This is when we switch between multiple tasks at the same time. Studies have found that our rate of errors increases by 50%.

Exercise and mental alertness were found to be linked in a recent study. It increases cognitive performance and memory. It also releases endorphins which block feelings of pain and can cause euphoria.

Naps have a ton of benefits including improved memory and better learning. Studying have found that the right hemisphere is more active during sleep than the left. While you're napping it's getting rid of temporary memories and making long-term ones.

Studies show that if you read something, you'll remember 10% of the information, but you'll recall 65% if there's a picture. This photo shows how much of our brains are dedicated to vision versus other areas.

When you're at your freshest (depending on if you're a morning or night person), that is the best time to get more analytical work done. You're more likely to have better ideas if you're tired because you're not trying as hard to filter out distractions.

Introverts and extroverts process stimuli differently. Extroverts have a shorter pathway for processing stimuli which is located near the senses. The introverts pathway is longer and is along areas for with planning and problem solving.

Meditation can lower levels of anxiety, increase creativity and promotes better memory.

Processing new information and experiences takes longer, which makes time feel like it's moving more slowly. Processing familiar information is fast because we've seen it before and our brains don't have to work as hard.

This is because of something called the Pratfall Effect. People who make mistakes seem more relatable and those who don't seem more distant and unattainable.