The unconscious mind processes information about 10,000 times faster than the conscious mind

While our conscious mind is aware of what we are thinking and experiencing in the present moment, the unconscious mind is working behind the scenes to process information and make sense of our experiences. This is why we can sometimes have a gut feeling or intuition about something without knowing exactly why we feel that way.

The conscious mind solves problems at roughly 100–150 miles-per-hour. Meanwhile, our subconscious blazes away at close to 100,000 m.p.h. “Even if this research is off by a factor of 100,” says Zlotoff, “this still means the subconscious mind is 5000 to 2 million times faster than the conscious.”

One way to think about the difference between the conscious and unconscious mind is to compare them to an iceberg. The conscious mind is like the tip of the iceberg that we can see above the water, while the much larger portion of the iceberg that is hidden below the surface represents the unconscious mind.

The ability of the unconscious mind to process information rapidly and automatically is thought to be an important part of our cognitive functioning. For example, when we learn a new skill, such as riding a bike or playing a musical instrument, we often start out by consciously thinking about each step involved in the task. However, with practice, these actions become more automatic and are processed by the unconscious mind, allowing us to perform the task more quickly and efficiently.

Overall, the relationship between the conscious and unconscious mind is a complex and fascinating area of psychology that continues to be studied by researchers.