Left Brain vs. Right Brain

There's a common myth that people's personalities are tied to a dominant side of their brain. Left-brained people are supposedly more analytical and mathematical, while right-brained people are said to be more creative and artistic. But the truth is there's no such thing as being a left-brained or right-brained person. The brain does have two sides called hemispheres, each of which controls certain functions. The hemispheres communicate by sending signals across a bundle of nerves in the middle called the corpus callosum. For most of us, the left side mainly controls language, while the right side mainly controls visual and spatial abilities. That's why people who've injured the right side of their brain are more prone to get lost. Interestingly, when it comes to movements, each side of the body is controlled by the opposite side of the brain. So the right hemisphere operates the left side of the body, and the left hemisphere operates the right side. If, like most people, you're right-handed, it's because your left brain is dominant in that area. But overall, we use both sides of our brains equally. Whether you're making music or doing math, the left and right hemispheres work together. And personality traits like creativity or analytical thinking involve the entire brain, not just one side of it. Something to keep in mind next time you hear that you're using only half your brain.