Brain Energy - Navigating the Internal and External World

The human brain is an energy hog consuming about 20% of the body’s energy while accounting for only 2% of its weight.

But do you know that the brain divides the energy used for internal and external purposes?

To understand this, we need to understand two terms. Interoception and Exteroception.

Interoception refers to the brain’s ability to sense, interpret, and regulate signals from within the body. This includes monitoring heart rate, respiration, hunger, thirst, and even emotions.

Exteroception, on the other hand, is the brain’s processing of stimuli from the external environment. This includes sensory inputs such as vision, hearing, touch, taste, and smell.

The energy allocation between interoception and exteroception depends on the demands placed on the brain.

Research suggests that interoception, though less noticeable to us, is a constant, energy-intensive process.

This is because the brain is continually monitoring and adjusting internal functions to keep the body in a state of balance, even during rest.

Exteroception, while crucial for navigating the environment, uses significant energy in bursts, such as when we focus on a complex task or respond to sudden external stimuli.

For example, activities requiring heightened attention, such as driving or learning, demand a temporary spike in energy devoted to exteroception.

Interoception is brain’s default mode when not engaged in external tasks.

Studies on the default mode network (DMN) suggest that during rest, the brain focuses on internal states like daydreaming, self-reflection, and body regulation.

Given a choice, the body will shift its energy consumption inwards.

So why does this matter?

When you are stimulated and focused on the external world, your body is shifting energy from within to without.

It means less energy is available for understanding and fixing things internally. It is not for nothing that they ask you to be present-focused and calm.

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