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Here is a picture of your brain. Knowing how your brain works helps to understand what steps we can take to get the most out of it.
Take a tour inside your brain by clicking on the links.
This is the most primitive part of the brain and is sometimes called the Reptilian Brain. It controls instincts connected with our safety and survival.
When this part of our brain is dominating behaviour, we have little access to our higher brain functions.
This means that the best state of mind for studying is one with as little stress as possible.
This part of the brain, which is also called the Mammalian Brain, functions much the same as the brain in most other mammals.
It controls the emotions, sexuality and the immune and hormonal systems.
The middle brain is the site of long term memory and this explains why the memory of emotionally rich events is generally long term and powerful.
The outermost layer of the brain, which is also called the Cortical Brain, controls our ability to reason, set goals, develop language and conceive abstract ideas. It makes sense of all the input we receive.
To energise your brain and get the most out of it, the special cells and structures that connect the different parts of the brain must allow efficient communication. This efficient communication must occur within and between each section of the brain.
This happens in a state called relaxed alertness.
