We usually think of the heart as a hardworking muscle, beating nonstop to keep us alive. But science is revealing that there’s more to it than we once thought.
Researchers find that the heart has its own ‘mini brain,’ made up of more than 40,000 neurons. That’s even more than what some animals have in their entire brains.
What does that mean? Basically, the heart can process information, store memories and even make decisions without any input from the brain. It seems to have a mind of its own.
What’s even more interesting is how the heart and brain communicate with each other. Most of us assume the brain gives all the orders, but that’s not exactly the case. About 80% of the messages sent through the main communication line between heart and brain, the vagus nerve, go from heart to brain.
That might help explain why we sometimes feel something before we can explain it. So maybe when we say, ‘follow your heart,’ it’s not just a figure of speech. It could be real, rooted in the way our bodies and minds are connected on a much deeper level than we ever imagined.
