You can feel quite exhausted after a period of intense mental effort. A few hours of serious studying can also leave you feeling hungry. Does this mean your brain actually consumes a large amount of calories? And, as a follow-up question: does deep thinking help you stay slim? Let’s break it down. The brain acts like a computer—complete with hardware and software—that runs 24 hours a day. Whether we are awake or asleep, brain activity continues.
