Science behind brain fitness

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There is a new business trend in fitness these days - boosting the brain. USC and Mayo clinic
 scientists in a joint research study funded by a company called Posit Science claimed that company's software users improved their auditory processing speed by 60%. There has been boost in sales for brain teaser games, brain friendly nutritional food items, software and games. Here is a list of facts many of us do not know about our brain(taken from Cognifit website):
  • When you’re sleeping, your brain stays awake.
  • While you're awake, your brain generates about 25 watts of power. That’s enough to illuminate a light bulb, so you should be grateful that’s not happening while you’re asleep.
  • Your brain is a power hog. Although it makes up only 2% of your body's weight, it uses 20% of your body's energy.
  • The right side of your brain controls the left side of your body, and the left side of your brain controls the right side of your body.
  • Some experts estimate the average person loses about 9000 brain cells a day.
  • Every time you yawn, you’re sending a wake-up call to the brain. The extra air you inhale when yawning goes into your lungs, which send that extra oxygen to the blood and then to the brain, giving it a little jolt of alertness.
  • Even one night without sleep can create a deficit in your ability to form new memories.
  • If you have a condition known as “synesthesia,” your brain perceives letters or numbers as having colors.
  • An elephant’s brain weighs about 13 pounds, or about 10 pounds more than yours.

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