6 ms·

Ask HN: List everything you know that is good/bad for our brains.

69 points by chanux 16y ago

I have seen some good ideas on this topic here and there, buried in several HN comment threads. But I thought it'll be better off being a separate topic, aggregating everything good/bad for our precious brains.

helveticaman 16y ago
Mercury is really bad for your brain. It inhibits myelin production, which is the mechanism by which people learn and develop skills. Mercury is found in all aquatic animals, which is why I stay away from all of them.
- arethuza 16y ago
  But the fatty acids in fish are good for your brain: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2002/oct/25/society.science http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2002/oct/25/society.science
  - stevejalim 16y ago
    Agreed - oily fish in moderation is the way I try to go
  - helveticaman 16y ago
    I take it mercury-free pill form.
chanux 16y ago
This one is less obvious and I read it on a random magazine. Covering head to toe when you are sleeping is bad for your brain. The reason is that it'll increase CO2 concentration in your breathing air.
harscoat 16y ago
exercise is good for your brain as already linked on HN http://singularityhub.com/2010/08/05/exercise-boosts-your-brain-%E2%80%93-here%E2%80%99s-how/ http://singularityhub.com/2010/08/05/exercise-boosts-your-br...
ddemchuk 16y ago
Social News sites have permanently fucked most people's brains up
- oscardelben 16y ago
  Unless you live with no tv and you check them 10 minutes daily to keep yourself informed of what's happening in your industry (i.e. they're not an addiction).
  - shasta 16y ago
    Yes, if you spend no more than 10 minutes with them daily, it stands to reason that you're not addicted or have your addition well under control. Unless you have a TV. ?
    - oscardelben 16y ago
      I don't have a TV.
pohl 16y ago
Novelty is good for your brain. But then repitition (a.k.a. "practice") can be too. Caveat: practice makes permanent -- not perfect. Malpractice makes malperfect.
- da5e 16y ago
  I like that: "practice makes permanent". Also "perfect practice makes perfect" although lousy practice is pretty good for developing "perfect practice." And turning practice into "your practice" in the yogic sense is good for the brain too. Routine doesn't have to be routine.
- brettnak 16y ago
  On the practice subject - in college I studied in the double bass studio for a few years. He always said that his goal was to teach us how to practice. He told us that we'd probably forget everything that he actually said, but if he taught us how to practice properly we'd be able to learn anything if only we knew the proper way to practice. He'd also make us tell him exactly what we were going to do after each lesson in order to be ready for the next lesson. A lot of what he taught us, i've found, could be applied to other areas of life.
talbina 16y ago
Loving friends and family and caring for people is good for your brain.
talbina 16y ago
In Lebanon, they think Cheese slows your brain down, while Zataar speeds it up. This is Zataar: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Za%27atar http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Za%27atar
- mshafrir 16y ago
  My favorite spice - delicious.
- shawndumas 16y ago
  http://www.deandeluca.com/herbs-and-spices/herbs-spices/zaatar.aspx http://www.deandeluca.com/herbs-and-spices/herbs-spices/zaat...
chanux 16y ago
I read this article a while back and found it interesting. 22 ways to overclock your brain - http://ririanproject.com/2006/11/03/22-ways-to-overclok-your-brain/ http://ririanproject.com/2006/11/03/22-ways-to-overclok-your...
yan 16y ago
Practice is good for your brain.
keefe 16y ago
good stuff : omega 3s good nutrition - vitamins, protein, fiber regular exercise deliberate practice meditation regular sleep
todayiamme 16y ago
one of the best sources I have found on the internet for stuff like this is mind hacks; http://mindhacksblog.wordpress.com/ http://mindhacksblog.wordpress.com/ They have some pretty interesting stuff over there. It's too bad that I can't afford to buy the book.
rgejman 16y ago
Smoking is good for staving off Parkinson's Disease: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/03/100310162823.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/03/100310162823.ht...
will_critchlow 16y ago
You might be interested in this project a friend of mine is running called Mind Apples: http://mindapples.org/ http://mindapples.org/ The idea is to look for the mental health equivalent of "an apple a day".
larsalan 16y ago
I read a trick that has worked for me but, it might just be placebo effect. Can't find the word your searching for? Rapidly look with your eyes left and right a few times and it may jolt your memory. //I promise I'm not trying to make you look silly
- chanux 16y ago
  Yeah eye movement apparently has some benefits. http://www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/episode.cfm?id=boost-your-creativity-with-eye-move-09-11-10 http://www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/episode.cfm?id=boo...
da5e 16y ago
Learning a new language is good for your brain. Either kind of language.
da5e 16y ago
And in other (Hacker) News... Ask HN: My brain refuses to think, what should I do? http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1545774 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1545774 Ask HN: Suggested Reading List http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1547988 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1547988 Ask HN: Anyone have OCD? http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1546203 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1546203 Ask HN: Food hacks for eating well? http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1545325 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1545325 Ask HN: Your "Keeper" articles. http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1540610 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1540610 Ask HN: anyone ever drop everything and leave software dev behind? http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1521190 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1521190 Ask HN: Loosing Faith - the startup killer http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1531518 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1531518 Ask HN: What's your most interesting life goal currently? http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1497164 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1497164 Ask HN: Lack of self-discipline driving me hopeless. Tips? http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1486708 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1486708 Ask HN: What are your best life hacks/best tools in life/time savers? http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1419556 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1419556 Hacker News | Ask HN: List everything you know that is good/bad for our brains. http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1583623 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1583623
- kashif 16y ago
  there is really no value in putting searchyc.com results here
  - da5e 16y ago
    Sorry, those are just ones I had bookmarked as advice. Not a search.
jonbischke 16y ago
I've read a ton in this area so let me offer some of my findings. If I get time this weekend I'll put together a blog post and link to it from here so I can include references, etc: Generally thought to be good for the brain: Fish oil (Omega 3 in general but fish oil is tough to beat) Exercise (Read the book Spark for more details) Meditation (While this needs to be studied more some of the studies on long-time meditators look very promising) Keeping the brain active, especially as we age (learning a language, doing crosswords or other brain puzzles, etc.) Quality sleep Some supplements (While I think there may be more definitive studies necessary, certain supplements like blueberry extract, vitamin D and melatonin are showing promising benefits to the brain) Generally thought to be bad for the brain: Excessive consumption of alcohol (1-2 drinks/day may be OK but more than that is typically Excessive consumption of sugar (the book Sugar Blues goes into a lot more detail) Toxic fats (Trans Fatty Acids, etc.) Head injuries (concussions, wear helmets, seatbelts, etc.) Many drugs (while some drugs are neuroprotective, many are neurotoxic, proceed with caution and reference Daniel Amen's work for more details) Overexposure to certain chemicals (many people who work in factories with constant exposure suffer problems) Two of my favorite books in this are are Making a Good Brain Great by Daniel Amen and The Ultra Mind Solution by Mark Hyman.
- adammichaelc 16y ago
  I've also done a lot reading in this area and the overall topic is really interesting to me. I met a guy at Hackers and Founders (SF) and the topic of Vitamin D came up. We discussed some of the research that I've found lately about how much good it can do you in terms of general health/brain health/immune health, etc., and how more-than-likely most hackers are deficient because they stay out of the sun during the hours when your body produces Vitamin D (generally thought to be 10am - 3pm). Then we got on the topic of how it would be cool to have some kind of Health for Hackers meetup to discuss this and other things hackers can do to have optimal brain and general health. jonbischke (or others with an interest in this topic), if you're interested in putting on something like this with me in the Bay Area shoot me an email (see my bio). I'm curious if this would be of interest to anybody else who is in the area. Send feedback if anybody's interested in attending or help put on something like this. Edited for clarity
antichaos 16y ago
Porn is bad for your brain. http://www.google.com/search?q=effects+of+porn http://www.google.com/search?q=effects+of+porn
- _prototype_ 16y ago
  Man, for a slight second, you really put the fear of god in me. Thank goodness your link was bogus, I can't live without my pr0n!
adammichaelc 16y ago
Good for the brain 1) List of supplements that are good for the body (click on the right to drill down to "mental health": http://www.informationisbeautiful.net/play/snake-oil-supplements/ http://www.informationisbeautiful.net/play/snake-oil-supplem... 2) Exercise 3) Meditation http://pss.sagepub.com/content/early/2010/05/11/0956797610371339.abstract http://pss.sagepub.com/content/early/2010/05/11/095679761037... 4) Adequate levels of Vitamin D http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080421072159.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080421072159.ht...
limist 16y ago
Be sure to take a look at "Brain Rules" by John Medina. http://brainrules.net/ http://brainrules.net/ The short version: EXERCISE | Rule #1: Exercise boosts brain power. SURVIVAL | Rule #2: The human brain evolved, too. WIRING | Rule #3: Every brain is wired differently. ATTENTION | Rule #4: We don't pay attention to boring things. SHORT-TERM MEMORY | Rule #5: Repeat to remember. LONG-TERM MEMORY | Rule #6: Remember to repeat. SLEEP | Rule #7: Sleep well, think well. STRESS | Rule #8: Stressed brains don't learn the same way. SENSORY INTEGRATION | Rule #9: Stimulate more of the senses. VISION | Rule #10: Vision trumps all other senses. GENDER | Rule #11: Male and female brains are different. EXPLORATION | Rule #12: We are powerful and natural explorers.
- da5e 16y ago
  Good stuff! But just for fun: 1. Sitting on your ass programming for long periods of time develops brain power too. 2. We've held on tightly to our lizard brains too. 3. Faulty wiring can be creative if it's faulty in the right way. 4. We do pay attention to annoying boring things. 5-6. Imagine to remember 7. Sometimes it takes an all-nighter to get your brain over the hump. 8. True, although not always a bad way. 9. Or isolate to concentrate and build myelin. 10. Only if you're a visual learner. 11. Viva la difference 12. We are also inveterate couch potatoes.
- alanthonyc 16y ago
  Cool stuff. I'm thinking of getting the book. Is it sufficient to get just the book itself (going to do it via my Kindla app) or should I spring for the DVD?
deleted 16y ago
[deleted]
henry_flower 16y ago
Bad: - reading news, fiction books (99.99% of them are crap); - programming in boring languages (Java); - chatting drunk in a bar; - watching any movies (youtube included), tv; - blogging about nonsense (life, politics, etc); - listening to a podcast while doing nothing (like sitting on a sofa); - participating in any social network (livejournal, facebook); - living in the countryside (I don't really know this, but it seems true by my observations on other people). Good: - living in a country where common language isn't your mother tongue; - reading very carefully chosen books (non-mother tongue are preferred); - regular sex; - friends which share your interests; - regular jogging (not on a treadmill); - walking when you are stuck; - programming in functional languages.
- sage_joch 16y ago
  What's wrong with running on a treadmill? I've found the measurability to be useful.
  - henry_flower 16y ago
    Maybe it's personal, but looking on the screen (while running) with a dumb simulation of the nature makes me feel blue.
- pgbovine 16y ago
  i don't see why everyone is downvoting this guy ... many of his claims are just as arbitrary and unsubstantiated as others posted on this thread
- jc-denton 16y ago
  - programming in boring languages (Java); It's not the language IMHO, but for me rather the problem that Java programming involves using libs and configuring stuff (which is rather dumb and boring) rather then designing algorithm and understanding how stuff really works..
pavs 16y ago
Ear massage. Wet your hands with cold water and twist and turn your ear with two finger (not too hard, the idea is to generate blood flow so they get warm. You are not trying to hurt yourself). It jolts my attention for about 20-30 minutes. When I was writing this, I thought to myself if there is any science behind it. Turns out this seems like a fairly well-known thing to some people. I found this out myself. Now I will go read what causes this to happen.
- da5e 16y ago
  Interesting. I do a bastardized form of shiatsu. Pressing on my eyebrows etc with thumb and forefinger in a pattern. That wakes me up. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shiatsu http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shiatsu
sayemm 16y ago
Great video by Google Tech Talks here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyPrL0cmJRs&feature=channel http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyPrL0cmJRs&feature=chann... Mentat Wiki has a ton of interesting articles/tips: http://www.ludism.org/mentat http://www.ludism.org/mentat And the Memoriad Competition Software is awesome and challenging; it's great practice every day: http://www.memoriad.com/memoriadsoftware.asp http://www.memoriad.com/memoriadsoftware.asp
_delirium 16y ago
I have a feeling that if you list everything that at least one study or credible report found to be good or bad for our brains, it'd end up looking sort of like the compendium of "things that cause and/or prevent cancer": http://kill-or-cure.heroku.com/ http://kill-or-cure.heroku.com/
dpatru 16y ago
I can't back this up with research, but from my own experience, concentrated thinking is good for the brain. Activities and environments that promote concentration are good while those that disturb concentration are bad. Good: writing, quiet, solitary runs and walks, thinking in the shower, schedule with plenty of margin, moving around, standing, working in large blocks of time. Bad: noise, too much information (TV, radio, clutter), hurry, packed schedule, too much food, too little water, sitting too long.
augiehill 16y ago
Anecdotal evidence makes me believe the absolute best thing for an engineers brain is a full night of sleep every night... that means no alarm clocks.
physicist 16y ago
Unrestrained thinking is good for the brain.

69 points by chanux 16y ago

helveticaman 16y ago

Mercury is really bad for your brain. It inhibits myelin production, which is the mechanism by which people learn and develop skills. Mercury is found in all aquatic animals, which is why I stay away from all of them.

arethuza 16y ago
But the fatty acids in fish are good for your brain: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2002/oct/25/society.science http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2002/oct/25/society.science
- stevejalim 16y ago
  Agreed - oily fish in moderation is the way I try to go
- helveticaman 16y ago
  I take it mercury-free pill form.

chanux 16y ago

This one is less obvious and I read it on a random magazine. Covering head to toe when you are sleeping is bad for your brain. The reason is that it'll increase CO2 concentration in your breathing air.

harscoat 16y ago

exercise is good for your brain as already linked on HN http://singularityhub.com/2010/08/05/exercise-boosts-your-brain-%E2%80%93-here%E2%80%99s-how/ http://singularityhub.com/2010/08/05/exercise-boosts-your-br...

ddemchuk 16y ago

Social News sites have permanently fucked most people's brains up

oscardelben 16y ago
Unless you live with no tv and you check them 10 minutes daily to keep yourself informed of what's happening in your industry (i.e. they're not an addiction).
- shasta 16y ago
  Yes, if you spend no more than 10 minutes with them daily, it stands to reason that you're not addicted or have your addition well under control. Unless you have a TV. ?
  - oscardelben 16y ago
    I don't have a TV.

pohl 16y ago

Novelty is good for your brain. But then repitition (a.k.a. "practice") can be too. Caveat: practice makes permanent -- not perfect. Malpractice makes malperfect.

da5e 16y ago
I like that: "practice makes permanent". Also "perfect practice makes perfect" although lousy practice is pretty good for developing "perfect practice." And turning practice into "your practice" in the yogic sense is good for the brain too. Routine doesn't have to be routine.
brettnak 16y ago
On the practice subject - in college I studied in the double bass studio for a few years. He always said that his goal was to teach us how to practice. He told us that we'd probably forget everything that he actually said, but if he taught us how to practice properly we'd be able to learn anything if only we knew the proper way to practice. He'd also make us tell him exactly what we were going to do after each lesson in order to be ready for the next lesson. A lot of what he taught us, i've found, could be applied to other areas of life.

talbina 16y ago

Loving friends and family and caring for people is good for your brain.

talbina 16y ago

In Lebanon, they think Cheese slows your brain down, while Zataar speeds it up. This is Zataar: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Za%27atar http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Za%27atar

mshafrir 16y ago
My favorite spice - delicious.
shawndumas 16y ago
http://www.deandeluca.com/herbs-and-spices/herbs-spices/zaatar.aspx http://www.deandeluca.com/herbs-and-spices/herbs-spices/zaat...

chanux 16y ago

I read this article a while back and found it interesting. 22 ways to overclock your brain - http://ririanproject.com/2006/11/03/22-ways-to-overclok-your-brain/ http://ririanproject.com/2006/11/03/22-ways-to-overclok-your...

yan 16y ago

Practice is good for your brain.

keefe 16y ago

good stuff : omega 3s good nutrition - vitamins, protein, fiber regular exercise deliberate practice meditation regular sleep

todayiamme 16y ago

one of the best sources I have found on the internet for stuff like this is mind hacks; http://mindhacksblog.wordpress.com/ http://mindhacksblog.wordpress.com/ They have some pretty interesting stuff over there. It's too bad that I can't afford to buy the book.

rgejman 16y ago

Smoking is good for staving off Parkinson's Disease: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/03/100310162823.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/03/100310162823.ht...

will_critchlow 16y ago

You might be interested in this project a friend of mine is running called Mind Apples: http://mindapples.org/ http://mindapples.org/ The idea is to look for the mental health equivalent of "an apple a day".

larsalan 16y ago

I read a trick that has worked for me but, it might just be placebo effect. Can't find the word your searching for? Rapidly look with your eyes left and right a few times and it may jolt your memory. //I promise I'm not trying to make you look silly

chanux 16y ago
Yeah eye movement apparently has some benefits. http://www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/episode.cfm?id=boost-your-creativity-with-eye-move-09-11-10 http://www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/episode.cfm?id=boo...

da5e 16y ago

Learning a new language is good for your brain. Either kind of language.

da5e 16y ago

And in other (Hacker) News... Ask HN: My brain refuses to think, what should I do? http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1545774 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1545774 Ask HN: Suggested Reading List http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1547988 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1547988 Ask HN: Anyone have OCD? http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1546203 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1546203 Ask HN: Food hacks for eating well? http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1545325 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1545325 Ask HN: Your "Keeper" articles. http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1540610 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1540610 Ask HN: anyone ever drop everything and leave software dev behind? http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1521190 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1521190 Ask HN: Loosing Faith - the startup killer http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1531518 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1531518 Ask HN: What's your most interesting life goal currently? http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1497164 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1497164 Ask HN: Lack of self-discipline driving me hopeless. Tips? http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1486708 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1486708 Ask HN: What are your best life hacks/best tools in life/time savers? http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1419556 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1419556 Hacker News | Ask HN: List everything you know that is good/bad for our brains. http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1583623 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1583623

kashif 16y ago
there is really no value in putting searchyc.com results here
- da5e 16y ago
  Sorry, those are just ones I had bookmarked as advice. Not a search.

jonbischke 16y ago

I've read a ton in this area so let me offer some of my findings. If I get time this weekend I'll put together a blog post and link to it from here so I can include references, etc: Generally thought to be good for the brain: Fish oil (Omega 3 in general but fish oil is tough to beat) Exercise (Read the book Spark for more details) Meditation (While this needs to be studied more some of the studies on long-time meditators look very promising) Keeping the brain active, especially as we age (learning a language, doing crosswords or other brain puzzles, etc.) Quality sleep Some supplements (While I think there may be more definitive studies necessary, certain supplements like blueberry extract, vitamin D and melatonin are showing promising benefits to the brain) Generally thought to be bad for the brain: Excessive consumption of alcohol (1-2 drinks/day may be OK but more than that is typically Excessive consumption of sugar (the book Sugar Blues goes into a lot more detail) Toxic fats (Trans Fatty Acids, etc.) Head injuries (concussions, wear helmets, seatbelts, etc.) Many drugs (while some drugs are neuroprotective, many are neurotoxic, proceed with caution and reference Daniel Amen's work for more details) Overexposure to certain chemicals (many people who work in factories with constant exposure suffer problems) Two of my favorite books in this are are Making a Good Brain Great by Daniel Amen and The Ultra Mind Solution by Mark Hyman.

adammichaelc 16y ago
I've also done a lot reading in this area and the overall topic is really interesting to me. I met a guy at Hackers and Founders (SF) and the topic of Vitamin D came up. We discussed some of the research that I've found lately about how much good it can do you in terms of general health/brain health/immune health, etc., and how more-than-likely most hackers are deficient because they stay out of the sun during the hours when your body produces Vitamin D (generally thought to be 10am - 3pm). Then we got on the topic of how it would be cool to have some kind of Health for Hackers meetup to discuss this and other things hackers can do to have optimal brain and general health. jonbischke (or others with an interest in this topic), if you're interested in putting on something like this with me in the Bay Area shoot me an email (see my bio). I'm curious if this would be of interest to anybody else who is in the area. Send feedback if anybody's interested in attending or help put on something like this. Edited for clarity

antichaos 16y ago

Porn is bad for your brain. http://www.google.com/search?q=effects+of+porn http://www.google.com/search?q=effects+of+porn

_prototype_ 16y ago
Man, for a slight second, you really put the fear of god in me. Thank goodness your link was bogus, I can't live without my pr0n!

adammichaelc 16y ago

Good for the brain 1) List of supplements that are good for the body (click on the right to drill down to "mental health": http://www.informationisbeautiful.net/play/snake-oil-supplements/ http://www.informationisbeautiful.net/play/snake-oil-supplem... 2) Exercise 3) Meditation http://pss.sagepub.com/content/early/2010/05/11/0956797610371339.abstract http://pss.sagepub.com/content/early/2010/05/11/095679761037... 4) Adequate levels of Vitamin D http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080421072159.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080421072159.ht...

limist 16y ago

Be sure to take a look at "Brain Rules" by John Medina. http://brainrules.net/ http://brainrules.net/ The short version: EXERCISE | Rule #1: Exercise boosts brain power. SURVIVAL | Rule #2: The human brain evolved, too. WIRING | Rule #3: Every brain is wired differently. ATTENTION | Rule #4: We don't pay attention to boring things. SHORT-TERM MEMORY | Rule #5: Repeat to remember. LONG-TERM MEMORY | Rule #6: Remember to repeat. SLEEP | Rule #7: Sleep well, think well. STRESS | Rule #8: Stressed brains don't learn the same way. SENSORY INTEGRATION | Rule #9: Stimulate more of the senses. VISION | Rule #10: Vision trumps all other senses. GENDER | Rule #11: Male and female brains are different. EXPLORATION | Rule #12: We are powerful and natural explorers.

da5e 16y ago
Good stuff! But just for fun: 1. Sitting on your ass programming for long periods of time develops brain power too. 2. We've held on tightly to our lizard brains too. 3. Faulty wiring can be creative if it's faulty in the right way. 4. We do pay attention to annoying boring things. 5-6. Imagine to remember 7. Sometimes it takes an all-nighter to get your brain over the hump. 8. True, although not always a bad way. 9. Or isolate to concentrate and build myelin. 10. Only if you're a visual learner. 11. Viva la difference 12. We are also inveterate couch potatoes.
alanthonyc 16y ago
Cool stuff. I'm thinking of getting the book. Is it sufficient to get just the book itself (going to do it via my Kindla app) or should I spring for the DVD?

deleted 16y ago

[deleted]

henry_flower 16y ago

Bad: - reading news, fiction books (99.99% of them are crap); - programming in boring languages (Java); - chatting drunk in a bar; - watching any movies (youtube included), tv; - blogging about nonsense (life, politics, etc); - listening to a podcast while doing nothing (like sitting on a sofa); - participating in any social network (livejournal, facebook); - living in the countryside (I don't really know this, but it seems true by my observations on other people). Good: - living in a country where common language isn't your mother tongue; - reading very carefully chosen books (non-mother tongue are preferred); - regular sex; - friends which share your interests; - regular jogging (not on a treadmill); - walking when you are stuck; - programming in functional languages.

sage_joch 16y ago
What's wrong with running on a treadmill? I've found the measurability to be useful.
- henry_flower 16y ago
  Maybe it's personal, but looking on the screen (while running) with a dumb simulation of the nature makes me feel blue.
pgbovine 16y ago
i don't see why everyone is downvoting this guy ... many of his claims are just as arbitrary and unsubstantiated as others posted on this thread
jc-denton 16y ago
- programming in boring languages (Java); It's not the language IMHO, but for me rather the problem that Java programming involves using libs and configuring stuff (which is rather dumb and boring) rather then designing algorithm and understanding how stuff really works..

pavs 16y ago

Ear massage. Wet your hands with cold water and twist and turn your ear with two finger (not too hard, the idea is to generate blood flow so they get warm. You are not trying to hurt yourself). It jolts my attention for about 20-30 minutes. When I was writing this, I thought to myself if there is any science behind it. Turns out this seems like a fairly well-known thing to some people. I found this out myself. Now I will go read what causes this to happen.

da5e 16y ago
Interesting. I do a bastardized form of shiatsu. Pressing on my eyebrows etc with thumb and forefinger in a pattern. That wakes me up. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shiatsu http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shiatsu

sayemm 16y ago

Great video by Google Tech Talks here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyPrL0cmJRs&feature=channel http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyPrL0cmJRs&feature=chann... Mentat Wiki has a ton of interesting articles/tips: http://www.ludism.org/mentat http://www.ludism.org/mentat And the Memoriad Competition Software is awesome and challenging; it's great practice every day: http://www.memoriad.com/memoriadsoftware.asp http://www.memoriad.com/memoriadsoftware.asp

_delirium 16y ago

I have a feeling that if you list everything that at least one study or credible report found to be good or bad for our brains, it'd end up looking sort of like the compendium of "things that cause and/or prevent cancer": http://kill-or-cure.heroku.com/ http://kill-or-cure.heroku.com/

dpatru 16y ago

I can't back this up with research, but from my own experience, concentrated thinking is good for the brain. Activities and environments that promote concentration are good while those that disturb concentration are bad. Good: writing, quiet, solitary runs and walks, thinking in the shower, schedule with plenty of margin, moving around, standing, working in large blocks of time. Bad: noise, too much information (TV, radio, clutter), hurry, packed schedule, too much food, too little water, sitting too long.

augiehill 16y ago

Anecdotal evidence makes me believe the absolute best thing for an engineers brain is a full night of sleep every night... that means no alarm clocks.

physicist 16y ago

Unrestrained thinking is good for the brain.