Can Studying Burn Calories?
How our brain burn calories without being aware of it
We use our brain to think in almost every daily activity such as studying, working, or reading. After long hours of thinking hard, we usually start to feel tired. It means that thinking is also burning our energy. But the energy that takes out is minimal compared if we do physical activities.
How Our Brain Uses Calories
Our brain is also an organ, so it does need the energy to run its functions. When we use our brain to do the task or thinking hard, it generally burns 20 percent of the energy consistently, regardless of what we’re doing.
The energy comes from glucose, which is contained in the food we eat. Then the glucose will enter the bloodstream and transfer to our brain.
And In fact, our brain burns more energy at rest than a human thigh while running
How Many Calories Does Your Brain Burn?
The calories burn of our brain is tend to small, so it doesn’t enough to cause weight loss
To cause weight loss, you need to burn 3,500 calories to lose 1 pound in a week. It means you need to burn out 500 calories per day.
We can burn out around 51–65 calories per 30 minutes while studying and 42–47 calories while reading. It depends on the weight of an individual and the position at the moment, like sitting up straight or standing.
We can burn more calories if we combined activities such as writing or walking around your space
Do We Need to Exercise Our Brain?
Just like the other organ, our brain needs to exercise so it can be function optimally and beneficial to our intelligence. So, what kind of exercise can we include?
- Brain-training games — A 2013 study found that brain-training games can boost the main functions and memory in healthy young adults. The games included puzzles, sudoku, or crossword, and any games that can challenge our brains.
- Learning something new — learning a new language, learning instrumental, reading, try a new hobby, or watch mystery movies can keep our brain actives
- Playing or listening to music — A 2013 study says that these activities help boost our memory and executive function of our brain.
- Socializing — A 2017 study said that maintain a good and healthy relationship with the person or people around you can support cognitive performance
- Regular exercise — Do physical activities are also beneficial for our body and brain. It helps our brain to think in a positive way and maintain mental health.
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