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I believe willpower is tied to blood sugar. I have a more difficult time focusing on difficult problems and getting started on projects when my blood sugar is l
by stephengillie 14y ago
I believe willpower is tied to blood sugar. I have a more difficult time focusing on difficult problems and getting started on projects when my blood sugar is low. I think many people incorrectly believe the concept of "blood sugar levels" is something only diabetics have to worry about.
Our brains are using about 1/5 of the calories we eat, ~400 calories per day for most of us. Most people are probably unaware of how their sugar-to-blood ratio naturally varies during the day, in response to eating, exercise, sleep patterns, etc -- but most of us have experienced feeling cranky and tired, having a meal, and feeling much more decisive and energized. This is a good example of how a meal raises one's blood sugar levels.
- nopassrecover 14y agoI think a lot of developers realise this, and resort to quick sugar hits to pump the brain up when working long hours (or maybe it's just me?). Of course this is a solution that quickly works against you.
- ksat 14y agoSo if I keep drinking glucose every now and then would it benefit in keeping my willpower up?
- deleted 14y ago[deleted]
- npalli 14y agoThe article states that the link between will-power and blood sugar is weaker than commonly accepted. "What about the glucose idea, which seems supported by so much science? Dr. Baumeister and Mr. Tierney describe studies showing that giving people glucose (in the form of a sugar drink) restores their willpower. But in our latest research we found that when people believe in willpower they don’t need sugar — they perform well whether they consume sugar or not. Sugar helps people only when they think that willpower is sharply limited. It’s not sugar we need; it’s a change in mind-set."