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How to Become a ‘Superager’

nytimes.com

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Re: How to Become a ‘Superager’

#51

Post by kiba »

yegortimoshenko wrote: post #40
kiba wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For as so long we have a positive birthrate, we'll reach the point of using all the energy that our local sun and technology can provide. We'll have to consider population control.

There are multiple issues with this idea. First, I just don't think you can really tell that from this perspective. That's just thinking too far into the future. This sort of argument is likely to look like a Great Horse Manure Crisis of 1894 [1] to our descendants. [1]: http://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofBritain/Great-... Have you actually considered how many people it would take to use all energy that su…

Have you actually considered how many people it would take to use all energy that sun and future tech can provide? I'm sure no human being can give you even a rough estimate.

It's an unimaginably large number of humans. Seven billion human beings is a drop in the bucket as far as I am concerned.

Universe is really vast, if not infinite. And when we have more people, alive, and doing meaningful things while automation takes over menial tasks, it's really going to make us tackle other problems faster, like transportation.

There's only so much matters and so many stars in the universe. Granted, they can last a stupendous long time, especially red dwarf stars.

Future technologies aren't something that can't be predicted entirely, but we can only consider the laws of physics as we know of to constrain our prediction.

Last time I check, there is no way to produce unlimited energy for eternity, no way to defeat entropy. Until that happen, we'll have to consider population control unless our numbers are stable or in decline.

Re: How to Become a ‘Superager’

#52

Post by reddytowns »

Godel_unicode wrote: post #48
kiba wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For as so long we have a positive birthrate, we'll reach the point of using all the energy that our local sun and technology can provide. We'll have to consider population control.

Before you get too worried about this overpopulation, go take a good look at the birth rates in developed countries. It'll be fine.

Probably the opposite will happen, actually. Just liked caged animals that don't breed, our habitat will so far be removed from our natural one, our species may die out from lack of ability to form natural male-female relationships anymore.

Re: How to Become a ‘Superager’

#53

Post by freshhawk »

apsec112 wrote: post #3

"Many labs have observed that these critical brain regions increase in activity when people perform difficult tasks, whether the effort is physical or mental. You can therefore help keep these regions thick and healthy through vigorous exercise and bouts of strenuous mental effort." Woah woah woah there. That doesn't follow at all. Even if you buy the "exercise model" - which can't possibly be tested by observing bra…

Since there seems to be some confusion, I'll restate what you are saying a bit because it's important.

Increasing activity in a brain region doesn't necessarily make it "thick and healthy", no matter how much you do it. This is the "exercise model" and it is a hypothesis (if not still at the conjecture stage, not my field).

Re: How to Become a ‘Superager’

#54

Post by pzh »

apsec112 wrote: post #3

"Many labs have observed that these critical brain regions increase in activity when people perform difficult tasks, whether the effort is physical or mental. You can therefore help keep these regions thick and healthy through vigorous exercise and bouts of strenuous mental effort." Woah woah woah there. That doesn't follow at all. Even if you buy the "exercise model" - which can't possibly be tested by observing bra…

Isn't it already sort of scientifically proven that "if you don't use it, you lose it" wrt to the brain? In that case, the validity of the 'exercise model' follows from that, at least for 'maintenance' mode (what the article seems to be arguing for). Now for hypertrophy (actually "becoming smarter"?), the question may still be open...

Re: How to Become a ‘Superager’

#55

Post by erikbye »

stpapa wrote: post #16

> This means that pleasant puzzles like Sudoku are not enough to provide the benefits of superaging. Neither are the popular diversions of various “brain game” websites. You must expend enough effort that you feel some “yuck.” Do it till it hurts, and then a bit more. This sounds a lot like software development. We are constantly on the edge of frustration. Working on a complex problem can be at the same time exhaust…

From what I've read, experienced, and observed, it would seem novelty is the crucial element in preserving and, even heightening, mental acuteness. Whether you are a programmer or a chess player; that alone might not be sufficient--you should always pursue novel activities. I tend to suggest music theory and learning to play an instrument.

Programming and software development need not be complex, and indeed a lot of programmers do not work on complex things, much of what they do is just routine, and that will not be enough stimuli for your brain.

Re: How to Become a ‘Superager’

#56

Post by tgb »

estefan wrote: post #50

> In the United States, we are obsessed with happiness. But as people get older, research shows, they cultivate happiness by avoiding unpleasant situations. Someone asked a few days ago what the best habit was that HNers developed last year and what the health benefits were. I realised I shouldn't do things because I thought they'd make me happy, and it has changed everything. Put another way, I don't only do things…

Can you give some examples?

Re: How to Become a ‘Superager’

#57

Post by ktRolster »

Baeocystin wrote: post #17
smhost wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm sorry, can you clarify your point? What is the problem with the idea that difficult tasks (both mental and physical) help to prevent atrophy in a certain part of the brain?

Because although it sounds like something that would make sense, the science does not actually support that conclusion. https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/does-brain-training-work/ The tl;dr is that brain training makes you better at that one particular task. Whether that carries over to anything else is unknown. It is considered a useful technique only insofar as that it is easy to do, and we don't have a lot of other…

https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/does-brain-training-work/*

That website just shows that brain-training programs like Lumosity* don't work very well. Thy are too simple and narrow in their focus.

Re: How to Become a ‘Superager’

#58

Post by _0w8t »

apsec112 wrote: post #3

"Many labs have observed that these critical brain regions increase in activity when people perform difficult tasks, whether the effort is physical or mental. You can therefore help keep these regions thick and healthy through vigorous exercise and bouts of strenuous mental effort." Woah woah woah there. That doesn't follow at all. Even if you buy the "exercise model" - which can't possibly be tested by observing bra…

Playing pro sports may weaken muscles. During a NHL season players loose up to a kilo of muscle mass. That one of the reason why the rate of injuries rises towards the end of season as the players got less muscles that protect against injuries.

Re: How to Become a ‘Superager’

#59

Post by estefan »

tgb wrote: post #56
estefan wrote: post #50

> In the United States, we are obsessed with happiness. But as people get older, research shows, they cultivate happiness by avoiding unpleasant situations. Someone asked a few days ago what the best habit was that HNers developed last year and what the health benefits were. I realised I shouldn't do things because I thought they'd make me happy, and it has changed everything. Put another way, I don't only do things…

Can you give some examples?

What sort of things do you want examples of?

This approach opens you up to far more opportunities. Say you have a spare weekend and you aren't sure what to do with it, but feel like going out. You could use the opportunity to try something you wouldn't normally do: go to an event on something you know nothing about, or even on a subject you don't really like. When you're there, find people who are really into the subject and try to understand from them why they like it. Maybe you'll see what they see, maybe you won't. But this curious mindset will pay dividends if you need to be creative, or develop rapport with people, or just want to see what's out there.

I'd had some things going on and wanted a holiday. So I went on my own. I went out to bars on my own, which I wouldn't have done before because I'd have thought I'd have a had a rubbish night. But I ended up meeting a few people, then a few more and had an amazing night. I realised that it was down to me to make the effort to have a good night, so I started speaking to the people around me.

There are so many opportunities every day just waiting to be taken. I used to close myself off from them because I wanted to somehow cherry-pick in advance only those that would make me happy, or lead to 'good' outcomes. When you remove that constraint, you become open to much more of life.

Re: How to Become a ‘Superager’

#60

Post by matwood »

apsec112 wrote: post #3

"Many labs have observed that these critical brain regions increase in activity when people perform difficult tasks, whether the effort is physical or mental. You can therefore help keep these regions thick and healthy through vigorous exercise and bouts of strenuous mental effort." Woah woah woah there. That doesn't follow at all. Even if you buy the "exercise model" - which can't possibly be tested by observing bra…

Playing pro-sports is not at all what they are talking about. Pro-sports puts demands on the body way beyond what a good exercise routine would be for a typical person.
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