Ways to maximize your cognitive potential • Hacker News Board

Re: Ways to maximize your cognitive potential

#101

Post by neovive » Thu, Jun 30, 2016, 4:56 PM UTC

This fits well for anyone working in web development. The quote: "You want to be in a constant state of slight discomfort, struggling to barely achieve whatever it is you are trying to do" explains how I feel whenever I'm starting out with new frameworks, languages and tools. The webdev world is in a constant state of flux. This year is a great example for me, as I'm in the process of learning: ES6, Typescript, Angular2, RxJS and Webpack--I'm always in a state of "slight discomfort".

I just have to avoid using "Google" and "StackOverflow" to parallel the author's experience of travelling in Boston without GPS, but I don't think I'm ready for that yet.

Re: Ways to maximize your cognitive potential

#102

Post by warfangle » Thu, Jun 30, 2016, 4:59 PM UTC

anantzoid wrote: post #46

CuriouslyC wrote: post #9

One of the most consistent ways research has demonstrated to increase connectivity in the brain is to learn new physical skills. Controlling the body in space appears to be particularly good at stimulating the growth of new synapses (and possibly new neurons as well, though the research is not conclusive here outside the hippocampus). Yoga is a good start. Modern dance, breakdancing, capoeira and gymnastics are all e…

I used to do boxing earlier in college, and used to hit the gym religiously till last year, when my elbow fractured and got implants to hold it together. After that I wasn't able to do much activity, even if I wanted, apart from running. Even pushups carry a risk of screwing up the implants in my elbow. What kind of physical activity do you think can be done in this type of scenario?

Pilates could be very useful. Most of it is very low impact strength training - instead of holding up your body weight, you're straining against springs, for example. There are a lot of exercises that don't focus on the arms because Pilates focuses on very discrete muscle groups for each exercise.

I wouldn't start with group classes, though: talk with your physical therapist (are you doing PT to help the recovery?) about appropriate exercises, and maybe sign up for a few introductory private pilates classes. Be sure to inform the instructor about the limitations you have.

Re: Ways to maximize your cognitive potential

#103

Post by glfharris » Thu, Jun 30, 2016, 5:29 PM UTC

SNvD7vEJ wrote: post #42

So plowing through many different games on e.g. Steam, and just playing each game for a short period (not trying to excel or improve your scores) before moving on to the next game, could somewhat satisfy #1 and #2 (novely + challenge)?

Depends on how much actual cognition is involved, after playing many games it could easily just become repetition. Also could come at the expense of some of the others, like networking.

Re: Ways to maximize your cognitive potential

#104

Post by basseq » Thu, Jun 30, 2016, 5:29 PM UTC

whiteandnerdy wrote: post #19

CuriouslyC wrote: post #9

One of the most consistent ways research has demonstrated to increase connectivity in the brain is to learn new physical skills. Controlling the body in space appears to be particularly good at stimulating the growth of new synapses (and possibly new neurons as well, though the research is not conclusive here outside the hippocampus). Yoga is a good start. Modern dance, breakdancing, capoeira and gymnastics are all e…

To what extent is that connectivity valuable beyond physical exercise? Is there good evidence that this does more than improve coordination and proprioception? (Obviously coordination and proprioception are valuable, but people who value them likely don't need convincing of the merits of exercise!)

Short answer: yes, physical exercise has been scientifically proven to improve cognition (working memory, attention, and other factors).

In addition to physical exercise, the two other things the author neglects to mention (though it might not be as relevant for her population, comprised of children) are diet and stress relief.

Re: Ways to maximize your cognitive potential

#105

Post by basseq » Thu, Jun 30, 2016, 5:32 PM UTC

By the way, this is why Lumosity is generally regarded as "crap" by the scientific community (and why they were fined $2M for deceptive advertising[1]). Any "improvement" you see in playing Lumosity's games isn't improvement in mental acuity, but efficiencies in repetition (#2).

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10845068

Re: Ways to maximize your cognitive potential

#106

Post by tumbas » Thu, Jun 30, 2016, 5:34 PM UTC

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8i1Ddj1Sw8

Re: Ways to maximize your cognitive potential

#107

Post by slig » Thu, Jun 30, 2016, 5:38 PM UTC

redblacktree wrote: post #96

neverminder wrote: post #82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's a whole bunch of pills and they're called Nootropics. Transhumanism anyone?

I think these are a bit like steroids though. They don't work on their own; you still have to train.

See this graph from [1] http://myzone-strengtheory.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads...

> Yes, you’re reading that chart correctly. The group that took a placebo and worked out only gained slightly more strength than the group that took testosterone and sat on the couch for 10 weeks. The group that took testosterone without exercise gained just as much, if not more, muscle mass than the people taking a placebo and actually working out.

[1]: http://strengtheory.com/the-science-of-steroids/

Re: Ways to maximize your cognitive potential

#108

Post by kej » Thu, Jun 30, 2016, 5:46 PM UTC

anantzoid wrote: post #46

CuriouslyC wrote: post #9

One of the most consistent ways research has demonstrated to increase connectivity in the brain is to learn new physical skills. Controlling the body in space appears to be particularly good at stimulating the growth of new synapses (and possibly new neurons as well, though the research is not conclusive here outside the hippocampus). Yoga is a good start. Modern dance, breakdancing, capoeira and gymnastics are all e…

I used to do boxing earlier in college, and used to hit the gym religiously till last year, when my elbow fractured and got implants to hold it together. After that I wasn't able to do much activity, even if I wanted, apart from running. Even pushups carry a risk of screwing up the implants in my elbow. What kind of physical activity do you think can be done in this type of scenario?

Some kind of casual low-impact sport (or at least low-bad-arm-impact), like pick-up soccer or disc golf. That way you'd still be getting the movement and coordination practice that you don't necessarily get from running. Also bicycling might give you the same benefits from running but with more new things to take in.

Re: Ways to maximize your cognitive potential

#109

Post by dualogy » Thu, Jun 30, 2016, 5:46 PM UTC

savanaly wrote: post #51

singham wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I didn't know that all these new Javascript frameworks were making me smart.

You joke, but honestly all the web devs that learn a new framework annually will be pretty good at picking up new frameworks after five or ten years. Of course, most of the people who fret about the state of the javascript ecosystem are doing it needlessly from the sidelines and don't themselves ever learn any of the new stuff.

> will be pretty good at picking up new frameworks after five or ten years

..or however long until the concept in question becomes irrelevant..

Re: Ways to maximize your cognitive potential

#110

Post by kornish » Thu, Jun 30, 2016, 5:51 PM UTC

grandalf wrote: post #71

whenwillitstop wrote: post #61

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why arent athletes the most intelligent then? Generally in society there is considered a negative correletion between people that exercise/play a ton of sports and intelligence. Whether this is true or not is up to debate, but stereotypes exist for a reason...

I think most professional athletes are highly intelligent, but some never learned to apply it to anything other than sport. Watch Kobe or LeBron on the court. There is an incredible awareness of the shifting context of the game and the available moves. In the greatest athletes it is faster and more fluid than in most athletes. It's a constantly shifting analytical mode that leans heavily on training and instinct, but…

Do you have a source for your statement that professional athletes are pretty close to average in "physical metrics"? By most accounts, there's been a recent Cambrian explosion in college and professional sports where larger pools of participants has resulted in a higher frequency of genetic outliers gravitating towards the sport for which their body is best suited.

David Epstein's "The Sports Gene" covers this topic with some depth.

Many people are brilliant, talented, and have a strong desire to win but lack the physical aptitude to support that at elite levels of play.