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Most of us have no idea what's really going on inside our heads. Yet brain scientists have uncovered details every business leader, parent, and teacher should know--such as the brain's need for physical activity to work at its best.

How do we learn? What exactly do sleep and stress do to our brains? Why is multi-tasking a myth? Why is it so easy to forget--and so important to repeat new information? Is it true that men and women have different brains?

In Brain Rules, molecular biologist Dr. John Medina shares his lifelong interest in how the brain sciences might influence the way we teach our children and the way we work. In each chapter, he describes a brain rule--what scientists know for sure about how our brains work--and then offers transformative ideas for our daily lives.

Medina's fascinating stories and sense of humor breathe life into brain science. You'll learn why Michael Jordan was no good at baseball. You'll peer over a surgeon's shoulder as he finds, to his surprise, that we have a Jennifer Aniston neuron. You'll meet a boy who has an amazing memory for music but can't tie his own shoes.

You will discover how:

- Every brain is wired differently
- Exercise improves cognition
- We are designed to never stop learning and exploring
- Memories are volatile
- Sleep is powerfully linked with the ability to learn
- Vision trumps all of the other senses
- Stress changes the way we learn

In the end, you'll understand how your brain really works--and how to get the most out of it.

About the DVD The Brain Rules DVD, included with this book, is a lively tour of the 12 brain rules. You will experience firsthand Medina's rare gift for making science fun, accessible, and relevant. The DVD will take your understanding of the book to the next level.

Customer Reviews:

• Good information
  This book has some very good and interesting info about how the brain works and how we think and react to different things. The only complaint I have is that the included DVD that came with the book did not have any audio, whether I played it on my PC or through my home DVD player. There wasn't a way for me to check with any type of tech support either. None the less the book is a joy to read....more info
• Read this Book if You Teach, Learn, Manage, Work, Raise Children, or Age (Did I leave anyone out?)
  Dr. John Medina, the author of "Brain Rules," is a tsunami of positive energy. If you're not lucky enough to see him speak live, take the time to explore the book's website ([...]) and view the DVD packaged with the book. His qualifications are top-notch - he's a developmental molecular biologist focused on the genes involved in human brain development and the genetics of psychiatric disorders. He currently holds joint affiliate faculty appointments at the University of Washington School of Medicine in its Department of Bioengineering, and at Seattle Pacific University, where he is the director of the Brain Center for Applied Learning Research.
  
  Here's the basic theme of the book... our schools and businesses are designed in direct opposition to how our brains work - let's challenge that and try out some new ideas - let's leverage our current understanding of the human brain to start over. This theme is covered through presentations of his 12 "Brain Rules" - each covered in depth in its own chapter of the book.
  
  Dr. Medina takes hardcore brain research and theories, and boils them down to easy-to-grasp ideas. Even though the book is written to the layperson, it is not dumbed down - it's just clearly written and supported through illustrative observations and stories. Some of his stories will have you laughing, others will leave you crying, and all will start you thinking. The last chapter will make you want to tear down our entire public school system.
  
  Here are the actual rules (also listed on the book's website):
  Rule #1: Exercise boosts brain power.
  Rule #2: The human brain evolved, too.
  Rule #3: Every brain is wired differently.
  Rule #4: We don't pay attention to boring things.
  Rule #5: Repeat to remember.
  Rule #6: Remember to repeat.
  Rule #7: Sleep well, think well.
  Rule #8: Stressed brains don't learn the same way.
  Rule #9: Stimulate more of the senses.
  Rule #10: Vision trumps all other senses.
  Rule #11: Male and female brains are different.
  Rule #12: We are powerful and natural explorers.
  
  Each rule is introduced through an observation or story to gain the reader's attention (DELIGHTFULLY and creatively illustrated further on the DVD - lead actor Brandon Whitehead is hysterical!); then clarified and supported through a discussion of the research; and finally applied to today's learning, business, and sometimes even home environments with "ideas" for how they could be implemented.
  
  Note: If you're like me (and I know I am), you love to see references embedded in your text - Dr. Medina intentionally reduces distraction by not including them within the book. The references are, however, meticulously listed by rule and by fact on the website (you may have to do a little digging, but they're in there).
  
  Make sure everyone you know who has a voice in our school system reads this book!...more info
• My husband loves the book
  I haven't read this yet so can't comment from my own perspective, but my husband loves the book and is getting some very good information from it....more info
• Brain Rules review
  A good book highlighting and illustrating some of the most important aspects of learning combined with a DVD. ...more info
• The Brain Rules!!!
  As a psychiatrist and psychoanalyst who does a lot of teaching in different venues I read this book with great interest. It is written in a very entertaining style that is itself an example of several of the "rules" articulated in the book.
  
  For those looking to delve deeply into the subjects presented, the book will not provide what you are seeking. Fortunately the author, John Medina, provides a link to his own blog where additional depth can be found.
  
  For those who want to see the current state of the frontier between the disciplines of neuroscience, cognitive sciences, linguistics, behavioral psychology, human development, education, and even sociology intersect, this volume provides an excellent start.
  
  The best sections include Rule #7 in which the importance of sleep to learning is convincingly demonstrated. This is a particularly vexing issue for me, as in my early training I had been taught not to give sleeping aids to insomniac patients. Now I see much more clearly how the reworking of the day's residue is the essential function of sleep, and without it learning is nearly impossible.
  
  Rule #11, Male and Female brains are different, is explained exceptionally well. The differences between the "gist dominated" male brain and the "detail dominated" female brain was initially counterintuitive, but Medina explains it elegantly.
  
  The tension arc between Rule #8, Stressed brains don't learn the same way, and Rule #9, Stimulate more of the senses, was not elucidated sufficiently. This is a topic and an apparent self-contradiction that Dr. Medina might address more clearly in his blog.
  
  Everyone knows that exercise is generally good for one's health, but Rule #1 ties it to the brain in a powerful way.
  
  The war between smell and sight was especially well reviewed in Rule #10 and presents this evolutionary battle in a way that had never occurred to me previously. No doubt this has been aided considerably by our upright posture which takes our nose further away from the source of aromas and places our eyes above obstructions that interfere with vision for similar sized creatures who navigate on all fours.
  
  The final chapter, Rule #12, about the innate drive to be curious and to explore was very sweet and very moving at the same time.
  
  Some of the themes in this book are addressed in a different style in Steven Mithen's book, A Prehistory of the Mind, [...]. Interested readers may wish to refer to my review of that earlier book.
  
  Bottom line: this is a splendid introduction to brain science and its real world applications, written in an especially entertaining and effective style. ...more info
• Sharp and inspiring
  Very good book. THe way it is presented is consistent with the content. And all the Web material is really helpful too. A book to share and to discuss with others. Well done !!!...more info
• Your brain explained in simple terms
  Simply the best read about our brain that I have seen in a very long time. What are you waiting for this author rocks. A must read book....more info
• Simply excellent and informative to the curious explorer!
  This book is simply a pleasure to read; it is an excellent source for curious minds seeking a better understanding of "brain science", and how we might use that information to improve upon certain aspects of life (e.g., work, relationships, education). Highly recommended as foundation material for people interested in the brain and/or exploring new ways to improve thinking and productivity....more info
• Outstanding!!!
  I loved this book. I enjoyed the logical breakdown of topics, the video reinforcement of the information and the conversational feel of the book. This book does a great job of bringing you to the edge of what we know about the brain. Read it!!!...more info
• Very insightful book
  This book was for me a very interesting read. As a firearms instructor I am very much interested in the physiological response of the body and the brain to extreme stress. This book presented a lot of information, some of which was new to me and some of which fleshed out concepts I had been exposed to previously. The author incorporates a several of the concepts identified in this book in his writing, which I found quite helpfull in reading through the material. This is one of the few books that I anticipate reading again to get more out of it (a concept elaborated upon in the book). I've recommended this book to several freinds and family members as worth their time....more info
• Interesting. Rich in Material. Must Read
  The book present good information about how human brain works.
  
  It is properly organized, gives good synopsis our understanding human brains. It also does nice jobs of helping layman understands nitty-gritty of human brains without using overly complex scientific terminology.
  
  Last two chapters also bring unique insights. I really like them most.
  
  Only negatives about the book, it that while it does good enough job of explaining how brain works, it leaves up to the reader how to make best use of the information provided. It does not give us clear action plan or take aways on how to get best of our brain. ...more info
• Paradim Shifting
  Brain Rules is a fascinating book. Medina has taken the complicated brain and made it understandable and interesting with an engaging narrative. Not only did this book cause me to look at my own life and "brain health" differently, it caused me to see the world differently. Reading Brain Rules is like finding the missing puzzle piece to some perplexing life questions. That sounds like hyperbole, but for me it was true.
  
  The chapters on memory are particularly sticky. Have you ever wondered why someone remembers an event you were both at so differently than you? The memory is so crystal clear, you are sure you are right and they are wrong. It turns out, you are probably both wrong. When you read the memory chapters, you will understand how and why you remember certain things, and why you don't. In the process you will learn how to remember more effectively. You will also begin to call into question the accuracy of some of your most precious memories.
  
  Don't worry, the book is not science gobbledy gook. Medina use stories and visuals to make the concepts understandable to everyone. And in each chapter he gives advice and practical applications for education and business.
  
  It's the best book I've read thus far in 2008....more info
• What a lovely book
  What a lovely book John Medina has created. His book is thoughtful and funny. The book provides a springboard into a much larger universe relating to the workings of the human mind and how observations on those workings can be used to perhaps benefit the business world. Notably, Medina never overstates his claims. He simply suggests a business application which relates to the "brain-rule" extracted from an examination of a deeper world of research and experience.
  
  Although Medina provides sufficient clues in his book to hint at his own depth, he limits himself to a gentle, lay-person's introduction, while still providing something with bite!
  
  The use of multiple presentation formats and media (book, internet and dvd) is a beautiful example of where the author reinforces his own words by "living" the advice he offers to others. I'm sure that if Medina had the option of including smell, touch and taste as well, he would have.
  
  A very pleasant, very educational, very thought-provoking read. Highly recommended....more info
• Brain Rules review
  This book has some excellent research and thought provoking information for anyone involved with learning. As a working professional in the field of Human Resource Development I will be incorporating some of Dr. Medina's research and vision into our corporate learning strategy....more info
• Neuroscience for dummies
  I like concise books like this one, and the dvd is really funny (and educational too) ...more info
• Awesome- loved it!
  Fascinating research. Great insights to put into use right away. May seem a little "out of the box" for most corporate types, but most great ideas are......more info
• An owner's manual for the brain
  This book is partly an academic-style introduction to brain research and partly a jauntily written practical "how-to" about getting the most from your brain. John Medina has a warm, upbeat persona, and skillfully incorporates stories from his experiences to illustrate points he makes in the book. From time to time he forgets to connect the dots for readers who are new to the material, and so doesn't always articulate the full point or parallel he is making. However, he gives a broad overview of brain research and makes a conscious effort to practice the rules he preaches. He repeats information, as research says he should, and uses lively, varied examples to engage the reader. To reinforce the book's lessons with visual and aural sensory input, the publisher provides a supplemental DVD. Medina summarizes his key points, and touches briefly on the real-world implications and applications of the findings he covers. getAbstract recommends this book to parents, educators, human-resources professionals, executives and all those who want to help themselves, their children or their employees reach their full intellectual potential. ...more info
• A book for anyone with a brain -
  Most reviewers are focusing on this book as an enhanced performance or heightened productivity title, but John constantly refers to our early ancestors, and how various sensory and information-processing functions of the body (with the brain at the center) developed to insure our survival. This has made me think of the book more in terms of health and wellness. Although not promoting a "smart diet" or "smart drugs", he clearly illustrates that attention to these rules makes for a happy brain, and therefore better overall bodily functioning and behavior that will most likely be in the brain's self interest. That's health.
  
  This is no "think yourself healthy, rich and into a great relationship" tome, like so many others. It is a simple and entertaining look at what neuroscience is learning about our behavior from the standpoint of the brain. Anyone can benefit from the information contained herein, whether in business, sports & health, the IT profession (people should be required to read this before they get service with an internet host LOL), performing and visual arts, culinary arts - you name it. It is an excellent course in human behavior. I have recommended it to everyone I know....more info
• Well worth the read.
  I teach high school Biology. This book worked for me on two levels...sharpened my understanding of brain anatomy and physiology as well as provided insights into how the human brain learns. Easy to read and entertaining to boot. ...more info
• Brain Rules - Phenomenol resource for understanding brain neurochemistry!
  Fantastic insight and presentation of neurochemistry of the brain, and how it applies to our personal and professional life. Well done!...more info
• A forgettable book
  In his introduction, John tells us the story of a man who can list all the multiples of 8,388,628 up to 24 in a few seconds, a boy who can tell the exact time of day without ever having to look at a clock, a girl who can tell you the exact dimensions of a object just by looking at it from 20 feet away, and a child who is such a good artist that they have their own section at a gallery on Madison Avenue. What do these people have in common? They all have an IQ of under 50. What else do they have in common? They all haven't read John Medina's book, Brain Rules. John gives such a dramatic introduction to his book, that you might think he is going to go on and tell us about how someone with an IQ under 50 can do all these things, and then afterwords tells us how a normal person with an IQ of 100 can do all these things and more. But you would be wrong. This illustrates what I call Brain Rule number 13: It is human nature to read between the lines and get suckered into buying anything, if I use the right words in my sales pitch.
  
  For example, in Brain Rule number one, John tells us that you can boost brain power with exercise and there is no such thing as too little exercise, so if you are lying on a couch watching TV, and you wiggle your little finger to the musical beat of a commercial, you are "exercising". That advice helps no one, seeing as the vast majority of people lying on couches already do "exercises" like that. So what good is that insight? John thinks it has made them smarter than what they would have been if they hadn't of "exercised". So they are "smarter" than they would be otherwise, but I'm not impressed. John mentions that we can exercise too much, but again he doesn't say how much is too much. So somewhere between no exercise and too much exercise, there logically has to be an optimum amount of exercise, but John never tells us what that is.
  
  Then there is the question of what kind of exercise is best? Strength training, aerobic training, bodybuilding, or a combination of all three? John doesn't unambiguously tell us. He hints that humans used to travel by foot an average of 12 miles a day, so is that what John considers optimal exercise? Well its not going to happen. Humans are no longer capable of traveling by foot an average of 12 miles a day. Like the Gray Wolf, in the last 20,000 years humans have selectively bred themselves into fat little fluff balls. For most of history, if you were fat, you were attractive and sexy, not because fat looks good, but for the majority of past history, only wealthy people were fat -- and being wealthy always looks attractive and sexy compared to being poor. So those wealthy, fat little fluff balls eventually became the dominant breed.
  
  Another example is that of Brain Rule number three: every brain is wired differently. This is just plain wrong. Anyone who has ever looked up the words "brain lateralization" or "Broca" or "Wernicke" or countless other things about brain-specific functions that have the same exact physical locations in all people, knows that to be wrong. Sure everyone has different experiences and different memories, but those things don't change the wiring of the brain, since memories and experiences still get stored in the same exact physical location as everyone else. Sure there are differences between male and female, but those affect functionality, not wiring. That would be like saying that by loading different programs into the memory of your computer, you are "re-wiring" it to be different from every other computer just like yours. That's just nonsense.
  
  As for the so-called Jennifer Aniston neuron, there is something in our evolutionary history suggesting that there is place for her in our brains, and it is called the popular, sexy woman neuron. For women, I'm sure there is a Burt Reynolds neuron in there somewhere, wouldn't you think?
  
  So just because John Medina is a molecular biologist, doesn't mean what he tells us is true or that he always knows what he is talking about. If John is a scientific expert on these matters, why didn't he include any scholarly, peer reviewed references in his book for any of his claims? If we want to know more about anything he tells us, too bad. We just have to take him at his word...unless we are smarter than that.
  
  After looking over all the reviews on this site, I thought this would have been a four or five star book, but it wasn't even close. This book is actually going to change zero lives because it doesn't give us enough information to actually change our lives, therefore this book will make a fine addition to my trashcan, where in a few years from it now it will be forgotten, as I predict it eventually will for everyone who has read this book....more info
• A book for anyone with a brain -
  Most reviewers are focusing on this book as an enhanced performance or heightened productivity title, but John constantly refers to our early ancestors, and how various sensory and information-processing functions of the body (with the brain at the center) developed to insure our survival. This has made me think of the book more in terms of health and wellness. Although not promoting a "smart diet" or "smart drugs", he clearly illustrates that attention to these rules makes for a happy brain, and therefore better overall bodily functioning and behavior that will most likely be in the brain's self interest. That's health.
  
  This is no "think yourself healthy, rich and into a great relationship" tome, like so many others. It is a simple and entertaining look at what neuroscience is learning about our behavior from the standpoint of the brain. Anyone can benefit from the information contained herein, whether in business, sports & health, the IT profession (people should be required to read this before they get service with an internet host LOL), performing and visual arts, culinary arts - you name it. It is an excellent course in human behavior. I have recommended it to everyone I know....more info
• Interesting book
  As a school counselor, this book is insightful yet a quick read. This book does not get bogged down in the details but is informative enough to understand the inner workings of the brain in order for readers to apply the knowledge to their personal lives....more info
• Very insightful book
  This book was for me a very interesting read. As a firearms instructor I am very much interested in the physiological response of the body and the brain to extreme stress. This book presented a lot of information, some of which was new to me and some of which fleshed out concepts I had been exposed to previously. The author incorporates a several of the concepts identified in this book in his writing, which I found quite helpfull in reading through the material. This is one of the few books that I anticipate reading again to get more out of it (a concept elaborated upon in the book). I've recommended this book to several freinds and family members as worth their time....more info
• Highly recommended!
  This Wonderful work reveals the latest information on how the brain learns. All teachers and parents should read this book or listen to the audio CD. The author presents very serious material in a witty and fun way....more info
• Very Good Book, But Some things I am not Convinced on
  I have read Dr. Braverman's books( Younger You and Younger You), and his material conflicts with this author's material. I do agree with using something like the system given in Don't Like to Read, Then Don't, Listen!: How to Turn Any Type of Text Into Audio Files That Can Be Read to You! to go over information lots of times. Just take data and see what works best for you! This book will give you some ideas to try...more info
• Brain rules rules!!
  This book is well written in easy to understand language and in a way that is extemely interesting. The brain is our super computer and this book tells you how to make the most of our super computers. Awesome!!...more info
• Excellent, intriguing viewpoint
  This is the rare non-fiction book that is able to really keep your attention. I found the chapters on learning particularly fascinating, but the entire book is worth a detailed read. The sections on health & exercise are also really interesting....more info
• If You Only Have Time to Read One Book on the Brain
  I am a lay student of this subject and have read 29 other books on this topic. For those who want to get grounded in some basics, based on recent scientific findings, read this book first. Even if you go on to read others you might get a leg up by starting with this one....more info
• Absolutely fascinating book
  Absolutely fascinating book. Check him out [...] and [...]. He lists out 12 rules but there could be many more, and if you were like me you would want Medina to just keep going. If you have always wondered why we are the way we are- you will enjoy this book. If you are a parent , you must read this book. If you present information for learning of ny kind and you want to make a difference, you must read this book and put the principles into practise. I loved this book, I devoured it. This author knows how you think and has written a book that you can really learn from. Enough, go out and buy it!...more info
• Amazing
  Read this book. Entertaining, clear and you will learn a lot about how we work....more info
• Uses His Own Research In His Book Writing
  The author uses a lot of narratives and has them spaced to keep my attention. A few actually seem gratuitous because I didn't exactly see their point - yet, even though I recognized this fact, I was struck that the narratives still have the intended effect of giving my brain regular mode shifts that help retain my interest....more info
• Your brain explained in simple terms
  Simply the best read about our brain that I have seen in a very long time. What are you waiting for this author rocks. A must read book....more info
• The THREE Brain Rules
  Why does EVERY scientist who writes a book for the masses, on the brain, need to go into great length about what the structures look like. This book would have been better if the author focused more on useful information. For example, Gender (which he refers to as sex). He gives no useful information about what we can DO once we understand that gender brains are different.
  
  So there really are three or four usable brain rules.
  
  ...more info
• Fascinating book
  I'm a teacher and have recently become interested in the brain. This book is GREAT for educators. It will make you rethink the way you teach. It made me realize how important some parts of the curriculum are (P.E.) which are often cut in order to make more room for review time. With all the non-sense high stakes tests of NCLB it's not surprising (I did it myself) but if you want to boost your test scores, DON'T CUT P.E. I love this book and would recommend it to anybody, but especially teachers....more info
• Generally I do not like rules
  The first rule grabbed me - exercise to boost brain power. Medina gave lots of examples of how exercise helps brain function. He also explained how our school and workplace are set up which encourages no activity so low brain function. Since I am a health guy and believe in exercise, I really liked the first rule.
  
  The book included a 40 minute DVD. Firly well don. Funny in parts. Since I had been inspired about the exercise I watched the DVD while I was on my treadmill while trying to read the rest of the book. Of course, one of his rules is that multitasking does not work so I stopped reading the book and just watched the DVD while I was walking on the treadmill (not running). I don't think walking counts as multi-tasking because the one task (walking) is an automatic task.
  
  Since I want to know how to learn faster and better, I liked the 2 rules on memory. For short or long term memory we need to repeat things a few times to ourselves. Perhaps I should rephrase - repetition works.
  
  Of course, no book on the brain would be complete without a rule on sleep. The obvious gist is to sleep well -- think well. We know how to do it but don't always do it well.
  
  He also talked about the negative impact of stress. My personal beleif is largely stress is an inappropriate reaction to external stumuli. When you can understand that, you can deal with it so that it does not become stressful.
  
  He talked about remembering more by stimulating more senses and how we remember more when things are emotionally charged. He also noted that vision is the strongest sense.
  
  His finally rule was exploration -- we are powerful and natural explorers. Curiosity is good. I like that rule since I am naturally curious and naturally a learner.
  
  ...more info
• Enlightening Study of Brain Function
  I'm about to read through this book for the second time and cannot stress enough how wonderful it is. The writing is concise yet highly informative and each "rule" is very well defined. I found the author's suggestions regarding optimal brain function at the end of chapters very helpful and am looking to apply them to my public speaking engagements.
  
  If you're into the brain, this is well worth the read....more info