How to Use 100% of Your Brain

There’s a long-standing myth that we humans only use 10% of our brains.

As a youth I heard it in a movie and thought wow, we’re so lazy! I’ve definitely seen a few Facebook memes declaring it, and other’s have often repeated it from wherever they saw or heard it from too.

But is this popular myth actually true?

BIG NEWS – No, it’s not!

The original idea of this myth came about from the initial misunderstanding about glial cells (90% of the brain) not being a functional part of the brain, only the neurons (10% of the brain) were.

What we now know is that glial cells do have a function:

• They provide physical and chemical support and protection for the neurons.
• They contribute to homeostasis by regulating the chemical environment for optimal conditions.
• They are also found in both the central nervous system (CNS) and the peripheral nervous system (PNS) and are sometimes referred to as the ‘glue’ of the nervous system.

As a result, while we don’t use 100% of our brains all the time, it is available to us!

In modern life particularly, we are conditioned to use certain parts of the brain more frequently than others via repetition of the same thoughts, feelings and behavioural habits – known as programs. As these neurons connect, wire and fire together in repetition, we create what is called brain dominance.

Brain dominance can either be within certain habit loops (groupings of neurons) or in the left or right hemispheres of the brain.

This concept is similar to the stress and relaxation responses:

• When we are constantly worrying and activating stress chemicals within our body, our sympathetic nervous system becomes dominant, placing great strain on the brain and body over time, known as chronic stress.
• The parasympathetic nervous system in control of the relaxation response is not being consciously activated because the stress response is being over-activated to deal with modern stress, overwhelm and demand.

When we operate from brain dominance – either through conditioned habits or repetitive thoughts and behaviours – we aren’t operating with a ‘whole’ brain. 

Therefore, it’s important to regularly practice realigning the brain for coherence.

Simple techniques like: crossing your legs and arms together, or crossing them over the midline of your body can activate both brain hemispheres simultaneously. Add a few conscious diaphragmatic breaths to bring focus and awareness and you are, or can, use all 100% of your brain with deliberate intention and awareness in those moments.

These practices help to restore mental focus and reduce chronic stress.

We teach you to understand brain dominance, habit loops, and the stress and relaxation responses within our impressive Holistic Life Coach & Mind-Body Practitioner certification course, where you’ll also take a deep dive into your autonomic nervous system, brain plasticity, and the Placebo and Nocebo Effects.

Featured image by Norbert Kundrak on Unsplash.