A sense of selfĪs well as allowing us to move around and understand what’s going on in the world, the brain gives us a sense of who we are – a “sense of self”, that’s different to other people. Teenagers are not lazy: it’s all to do with how the brain sends signals to the body. The biological reason why it's so hard for teenagers to wake up early for school This makes teenagers want to go to bed and wake up later than adults and children. Melatonin is produced a few hours later in teenagers than it is in adults and children. Have you ever wondered why you feel sleepy? When the sun goes down, a part of your brain called the pineal gland produces a hormone called melatonin, which makes you feel tired. Sending signalsĪs well as sending electrical signals through the nervous system, the brain also uses chemical signals to control processes in the body. The nerve cells in your eyes, ears and nose detect these sensations, and send signals to different parts of your brain, which turn them into what you see, hear and smell – all in a matter of milliseconds. The light bouncing off the trees enters your open eyes the chirping sounds of the birds reach your ears and the damp smell of the forest soil wafts up your nose. The brain is also in charge of the way you experience the world around you. The nervous system extends through your body from your spinal cord, which runs from your brain down your backbone, like the branches of a tree.Ĭurious Kids: how can we see what we are imagining as well as what's in front of us?

The brain is the body’s control centre: it sends messages to your body through a network of nerves called “the nervous system”, which controls your muscles, so that you can walk, run and move around. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to We won’t be able to answer every question, but we’ll do our very best. Curious Kids is a series by The Conversation, which gives children the chance to have their questions about the world answered by experts.

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