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Why Walking Helps Us Think (2014)

newyorker.com

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Re: Why Walking Helps Us Think (2014)

#41

Post by petra »

agumonkey wrote: post #37
petra wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I work in manufacturing, and sometimes i listen to podcasts, but sometimes i meditate(like tai-chi, attention to body movements) while working. Meditating is harder(and coffee is helpful), but when successful, is much more satisfying.

I'm still not sure I approached a meditative state by "meditating". When I play drums I do get into a slight trance / bliss where I kinda become music and my mind shifts off.

The key to flow/meditativr-state is sussposed to be fitting the processing capability someone's brain has , to the task. That way all of your attention is given to a network called "task mode network" and no attention is left to the "default mode network " (which is resonsible for mental chatter and self in past/present) so the brain becomes quiet.

So maybe there's a way to make chores more demanding of attention[1] ? Like deciding to do them in a different way or focus on more/different details ? Maybe that's why the Japanese tea ceremony is so complicated ?

[1]As drumming is , altough maybe there's something meditative about music?

Re: Why Walking Helps Us Think (2014)

#44

Post by kirykl »

bootload wrote: post #4

". When we go for a walk, the heart pumps faster, circulating more blood and oxygen not just to the muscles but to all the organs—including the brain. Many experiments have shown that after or during exercise, even very mild exertion, people perform better on tests of memory and attention. Walking on a regular basis also promotes new connections between brain cells, staves off the usual withering of brain tissue that…

Perhaps that'd be good for motor neurons. But walking on concrete paths lets your mind focus and think about new ideas without worrying about tripping on something unexpected

Re: Why Walking Helps Us Think (2014)

#46

Post by eagletusk »

kirykl wrote: post #44
bootload wrote: post #4

". When we go for a walk, the heart pumps faster, circulating more blood and oxygen not just to the muscles but to all the organs—including the brain. Many experiments have shown that after or during exercise, even very mild exertion, people perform better on tests of memory and attention. Walking on a regular basis also promotes new connections between brain cells, staves off the usual withering of brain tissue that…

Perhaps that'd be good for motor neurons. But walking on concrete paths lets your mind focus and think about new ideas without worrying about tripping on something unexpected

I've managed to finish a few 1 hour runs on pavement only during races, but an hour long trail run in in the woods? I'll plan a weekend around it. In Japanese there is the concept, Forest bathing, shinrin-yoku (森林浴).

Re: Why Walking Helps Us Think (2014)

#47

Post by agentgt »

coldtea wrote: post #33
agentgt wrote: post #18

For those that want to perhaps burn more calories or for whatever reason want to make it more challenging I recommend rucking. That is take a backpack and put like 35 pounds in it. I highly recommend it.

How does that work for back health? Sounds something that will cause extra strain in an unstructured way.

As a previous commenter alluded too you need a proper backpack or at least a properly configured backpack. GoRuck is the defacto on this but any bag made of serious nylon with olympic plates and internal PALS MOLLE can work as you can just strap the weight close to your back.

The weight needs to be high up on your back and as close to your body as possible (there is some debate on this but in general that is what most people believe).

Also I don't have a citing on this but I'm fairly certain most people have back problems not from carrying heavy weight on their back but rather sitting down too much and picking up the weight incorrectly.

Re: Why Walking Helps Us Think (2014)

#48

Post by gm-conspiracy »

seanalltogether wrote: post #27

So why does taking a shower help us think? Or driving a car on the highway to work? It has to be more then just getting blood moving?

Hot showers/sauna do get the blood moving (can be a form of cardio exercise).

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4049052/

Not sure about driving...maybe road-rage adrenaline?

Re: Why Walking Helps Us Think (2014)

#49

Post by colmvp »

mdevere wrote: post #45

why are these articles always so pointlessly long. who wants to read all this meandering tangential bullshit when it can be distilled down into two paragraphs at most.

With all due respect, it's important to know your audience.

When subscribers read the New Yorker, they usually expect to have lengthy articles. There are plenty of bite sized, 30 second articles available practically everywhere on the internet.

Re: Why Walking Helps Us Think (2014)

#50

Post by jasonkostempski »

kaeluka wrote: post #25
bendavis381 wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Audible 2x during any walk or mindless activity means you can easily get through a book a week without any lifestyle changes. Literally has changed me life.

*Literarily has changed your life. Sorry, I'll show myself out :-)

Audible 2x: Literarily change your life, without any lifestyle changes.
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