Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Exercise 'keeps the mind sharp' in over-50s, study finds

bbc.co.uk

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

71–80 of 251 posts

Re: Exercise 'keeps the mind sharp' in over-50s, study finds

#71

Post by pferde »

eyan wrote: post #11
tomjen3 wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Nobody credible. The real question is how do you get people of their ass and start exercising? This includes me, I feel much better on days I make it to the gym.

> The real question is how do you get people of their ass and start exercising? You don't. You wait for them until they decide and act on their decision.

Pretty much this. All you can do for most people is to be an example to them in this regard, and politely suggest getting some physical activity to them every now and then, if it comes up naturally in conversation.

They're all adults, in this age of information they all the facts available for such decision.

Re: Exercise 'keeps the mind sharp' in over-50s, study finds

#72

Post by throwaway109482 »

2845197541 wrote: post #20

On one side of my family retirement for my grandparents meant long days vegetating in front of the television with little dogs to pet. Church on Sundays were really their only time out. This brought dementia by age 80 and a host of other issues and they are on their way out. On the other side my grandfather plays basketball, golfs, runs, reads a book every few days, even drinks at a bar. No dementia. Sharp as a tack.…

> This brought dementia by age 80 and a host of other issues

As someone who suffers an immune disease that simultaneously makes me unable to do strenuous exercise, and is also independently associated with "a host of other issues", comments like this actually make me quite angry. How can you possibly claim this demonstrates cause and effect?

Re: Exercise 'keeps the mind sharp' in over-50s, study finds

#73

Post by hacker_9 »

ck425 wrote: post #70

Does anyone else worry about staying fit as an office worker? As much as I enjoy my career, I might give serious consideration to moving into something more physical in future. While you can easily fit in a decent amount of exercise outside of work if you only work 40 hours, it strikes me as much more efficient to make your work exercise in and off itself. I spent one summer working as a software engineer intern with…

You have options; You could bike to work, or go for a run in your lunch break, or instead go to the gym after work.

Re: Exercise 'keeps the mind sharp' in over-50s, study finds

#74

Post by ck425 »

hacker_9 wrote: post #73
ck425 wrote: post #70

Does anyone else worry about staying fit as an office worker? As much as I enjoy my career, I might give serious consideration to moving into something more physical in future. While you can easily fit in a decent amount of exercise outside of work if you only work 40 hours, it strikes me as much more efficient to make your work exercise in and off itself. I spent one summer working as a software engineer intern with…

You have options; You could bike to work, or go for a run in your lunch break, or instead go to the gym after work.

I already do run to work, and it helps, as well as a reasonably active hobby. But there's a big different between running to work and a job that keeps you on your feet and moving for 40 hours a week.

Re: Exercise 'keeps the mind sharp' in over-50s, study finds

#75

Post by tallanvor »

ck425 wrote: post #70

Does anyone else worry about staying fit as an office worker? As much as I enjoy my career, I might give serious consideration to moving into something more physical in future. While you can easily fit in a decent amount of exercise outside of work if you only work 40 hours, it strikes me as much more efficient to make your work exercise in and off itself. I spent one summer working as a software engineer intern with…

If you can find a job that you love that requires moderate activity, and funds a lifestyle you can get enjoyment from, that's obviously great. But this study doesn't suggest that you need to do this to stay sharp.

And, at least in the US, the statistics show that average lifespan has actually been decreasing for people in blue collar jobs. Part of this may be that physically demanding jobs simply cause the body to wear out faster or because you end up injuring yourself and having limited mobility making it harder for you to stay active. And, of course, a big part of it is most likely that blue collar jobs usually don't include great healthcare plans, and if you're earning less money, you may end up with a plan that really isn't affordable if something major happens.

It seems that a white collar job with maybe 5 days a week where you workout for an hour - some sort of combination of strength training and aerobic activity - is probably the best middle ground we have right now.

Re: Exercise 'keeps the mind sharp' in over-50s, study finds

#76

Post by xarope »

3131s wrote: post #64
xarope wrote: post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

TIL (!). I deadlift (amongst other things), as I believe it's a fundamental movement (what Dan John calls "pick heavy stuff off the floor"). Here's a writeup Taleb did about strength training (whether I agree or disagree in totality is a separate issue, but we can all agree to 80% and disagree on the rest): https://medium.com/@nntaleb/strength-training-is-learning-fr...

I'm not sure that I agree with a lot of that article, but one piece really resonates with me. I had a chronic hamstring injury from sprinting (tendinitis, with a couple recurring minor pulls over the years) and physical therapy was a complete waste of time. The first physical therapist I went to told me that it would take over a year of sessions to recover from a grade 1 tear (which is absolute bullshit). She had me…

Thumbs up on this, we can agree on the basics and disagree on the minutiae; after all, as individuals, we are different to some degree.

Re: Exercise 'keeps the mind sharp' in over-50s, study finds

#77

Post by jcbeard »

hacker_9 wrote: post #73
ck425 wrote: post #70

Does anyone else worry about staying fit as an office worker? As much as I enjoy my career, I might give serious consideration to moving into something more physical in future. While you can easily fit in a decent amount of exercise outside of work if you only work 40 hours, it strikes me as much more efficient to make your work exercise in and off itself. I spent one summer working as a software engineer intern with…

You have options; You could bike to work, or go for a run in your lunch break, or instead go to the gym after work.

Many companies in the US are providing gyms for their employees, making staying in decent shape that much easier. I definitely take advantage. Even when I don't have time for a full workout, I can hop on treadmill for a 30 minute run and be back to work in 40 minutes (assuming showers aren't all occupied).

Re: Exercise 'keeps the mind sharp' in over-50s, study finds

#79

Post by dvcrn »

My problem with exercise is simply time. There are a million things I want to do and with a 10-7 work shift, I just can't do much.

Staying 30 minutes longer happens easily so it's 7:30. Commuting to the gym would take another 20-30. 1h in the gym and it's 9 (or later). Commuting an hour home and it's 10. Go to supermarket, maybe cook something up and it could easily be 11 already. This leaves 1-2h max to do anything else, given I am not dead from the gym. Now spinning up the brain to focus on something creative also needs a bit of time.

Morning gym is hard as well. All gyms around my home open from 9:30/10:00 which is when I have to be on the way to the office already.

So the time slots that are free are very competitive. Pick one: Do I go to the gym? Do I watch a movie with the gf? Do I program? Do I learn the next grammar chapter? Do I work on other hobbies that I've been putting off too long? Do I meet friends and catch up on social life?

To be honest, this 'problem' makes me currently think of switching into a part time job, just so I have more time for the things I actually care about. (Part time remote for optimum happiness but that might be impossible to come by)

Re: Exercise 'keeps the mind sharp' in over-50s, study finds

#80

Post by Gustomaximus »

dvcrn wrote: post #79

My problem with exercise is simply time. There are a million things I want to do and with a 10-7 work shift, I just can't do much. Staying 30 minutes longer happens easily so it's 7:30. Commuting to the gym would take another 20-30. 1h in the gym and it's 9 (or later). Commuting an hour home and it's 10. Go to supermarket, maybe cook something up and it could easily be 11 already. This leaves 1-2h max to do anything…

Best us to work it into your day like run at lunch and eat at your desk after. Or get off a train stop early and walk. Also I keep a dumbell under my home desk (not confident enough to do this at open plan work office) so if on the phone or having a YouTube moment type thing I do a few exercises.
Post reply on HN