What is your brain type? And how does it affect your life?

Maybe we do need to listen to our brains over our hearts

Your brain type plays a huge role in how you approach relationships. Here's what you need to know about yours.

We’re all well across our personality and attachment types, but what about our brain types? 

Our brains drive our thoughts, feelings and actions, even if we don’t always listen to them when making decisions.

While no brain is the same, some experts have found ways to categorise them. 

Psychiatrist Dr Daniel G. Amen studied over 200,000 brain scans from people living in 155 countries to find five main brain types: balanced, spontaneous, persistent, sensitive, and cautious.

According to Healthline, he said our brain types aren’t set in stone and, “ultimately, we want to work toward the balanced brain type. You can move toward that with the right strategies and help, through honoring how your brain is wired”.

He added that whatever category you fit into, your brain can affect your happiness and relationships, so it’s helpful to get to know yours. 

People with a symmetrical, balanced brain are typically focused, flexible, conscientious, positive, resilient, emotionally stable and have good impulse control.

How your brain type impacts your love life

#1. Balanced brain

People with a symmetrical, balanced brain are typically focused, flexible, conscientious, positive, resilient, emotionally stable and have good impulse control. 

These traits allow them to remain stable in relationships, able to work around issues and adapt when needed, leading to strong, healthier relationships.

The amount of beautiful green spaces throughout the country provides residents with the happy hormones that come from being in nature, as well as opportunities for work life balance. Image: Pexels

#2. Spontaneous brain

Those with a more spontaneous brain are often, you guessed it, spontaneous. When it comes to relationships, this may mean committing to people quicker than others or approaching things head first without much thought. 

They’re also typically creative, curious, impulsive, restless, disorganised, easily bored and love to take risks. 

People with a spontaneous brain may regularly crave more excitement in their love life, push to mix things up, or struggle to commit. Image: iStock

People with a spontaneous brain may regularly crave more excitement in their love life, push to mix things up, or struggle to commit. 

Amen said structure and goal setting are crucial for people with this brain type.

“You don’t want to just be living in the moment, you want to be living in all the moments. You want to enjoy today, but not at the expense of tomorrow”, he noted.

So don’t be surprised when they’re not the most adaptable partners. Image: iStock

#3. Persistent brain

The persistent brain has a lot of overlap with the Type A personality. 

These people are determined, inflexible, strong-willed perfectionists who love their routine.

So don’t be surprised when they’re not the most adaptable partners.

If you’re driven by your emotions instead of your thoughts, you may have a sensitive brain.  Image: iStock

Although Amen said people with this brain type can make some of the most loyal, dependable lovers, it’s important they learn to let things go to avoid their stubbornness getting in the way of happiness.

#4. Sensitive brain

If you’re driven by your emotions instead of your thoughts, you may have a sensitive brain. 

This group is commonly empathetic, sensitive and feels everything deeply. They’re also pretty pessimistic.

Those with a sensitive brain can very easily connect deeply with others. Image: Pexels

Those with a sensitive brain can very easily connect deeply with others, and when it comes to emotional openness in relationships, they’re great at making their feelings known.

But naturally, just because this group can understand others’ emotions easily, it doesn’t mean others can understand theirs, so moods and sensitivities may trigger some arguments. 

Speaking to Stylist, Amen said those with a sensitive brain can benefit from “mood-enhancing practices like expressive writing, deep connection with others and creative outlets”.

This group may need a little more reassurance in relationships and struggle with preempting everything that could go wrong in love.  Image: Pexels

#5. Cautious brain

The more prepared, risk-averse, reserved, careful, anxious and motivated among us may have a cautious brain. 

This group may need a little more reassurance in relationships and struggle with preempting everything that could go wrong in love. 

When you understand your brain and those of the people you care about, communication improves, conflict decreases and connection deepens.

They can make for very considerate partners, though. 

“Identifying your brain type is like getting an operator’s manual for your mind. It helps you play to your strength, identify and manage your challenges and avoid the one-size-fits-all approach to self-care that often fails people”, Amen said.

“When you understand your brain and those of the people you care about, communication improves, conflict decreases and connection deepens. It’s a win-win”.

Originally published as What is your brain type? And how does it affect your life?