PHYSICAL WELLNESS
your body’s control center
THE BRAIN
Your brain is like the headquarters of your body’s operating system.
It takes in info from the outside world, makes decisions, stores memories, and sends out signals to help your body respond.
It’s not just about thinking — your brain also:
Helps regulate your breathing, heart rate, digestion, and hormones
Plays a huge role in how you feel (emotionally + physically)
Decides when to calm down or gear up depending on your environment
BRAIN BASICS
Common Terms + Simple Definitions
Here’s a mini glossary for brain-related words you’ll see throughout the site:
Neurons - Nerve cells that send and receive messages
Neurotransmitters - Chemicals that carry signals between neurons
Synapse - The tiny space between neurons where messages get passed
Nervous System - The whole communication system made of your brain, spinal cord, and nerves
Autonomic Nervous System - The part that runs in the background — breathing, heartbeat, digestion
Parasympathetic Nervous System- The “rest and digest” mode — helps calm and restore the body
Sympathetic Nervous System - The “fight or flight” mode — helps react to danger or stress
Cortex - The thinking, planning, and decision-making part of the brain
Amygdala - The brain’s alarm system — scans for danger and triggers survival responses
Hippocampus - Memory center — helps store and organize your experiences
WHAT THE BRAIN WORKS WITH
BRAIN + OTHER SYSTEMS
Your brain is powerful — but it doesn’t work alone. It constantly communicates with:
Nervous System: Sends messages through electrical signals, like a text chain between your brain and body
Endocrine System (Hormones): Sends chemical messages to regulate mood, stress, metabolism, etc.
Digestive System: Sends info about nutrients, hunger, inflammation — and even makes neurotransmitters like serotonin
Immune System: Helps detect threats and inflammation; affects your mood and energy levels
Your body is like a team — and the brain is the coach, listening and responding all day long.