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

Hacking the Brain

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

131–140 of 153 posts

Re: Hacking the Brain

#131

Post by rubicon33 »

vntx wrote: post #123
manmal wrote: post #16

I haven’t found near infrared radiation referenced in the article - I‘m using near infrared as a brain hack, by shining a cheap 850nm LED light on my forehead. This has, over the last 2 years, enabled me to code for weeks on end, for 12+ hours a day, with only minor cognitive decline. It’s not something I really want to do, but sometimes it’s useful. Before I started the near infrared routine (~5 minutes every other…

That’s cool that it works well , but aren’t there trade-offs for everything? This method seems to help your brain work more because it increases its metabolism but that might also cause your brain to age faster right? The harder you work something, the faster you wear it down. Is my logic flawed or am I missing something? Just curious.

This is a good point and I think it's a safe assumption that you're right, but here's another tid bit to consider:

Perhaps some people have abnormally SLOW brain aging / metabolism. This would be a way for them to get back to normal?

Re: Hacking the Brain

#132

Post by rubicon33 »

manmal wrote: post #64
bmoc wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Could you elaborate on this? What exactly LED bulb are you using, what is your exact current routine? 5 mins in the morning? The professional ones are very expensive, could you share your solution?

I have several devices, one from a manufacturer called "Red Light Man", but the best effect I get with a $25 CCTV infrared radiator (850nm) that didn't even have a power adapter shipped with it. Photobiomodulation is ideal at 830nm (maximal energy resorption by chromophores in human cells), so 850nm is quite close to optimal. There are more expensive solutions of course, even therapeutic lasers that cost a couple tho…

Is this similar to the hair restoration helmets that use lights/lasers?

Re: Hacking the Brain

#133

Post by varjag »

Insanity wrote: post #51
varjag wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Most of the things worth mentioning were invented by these "mentally handicapped" generations. Not sure how that works.

The important thing to note about the parent poster was that he said "on average". Perhaps these things were not invented by average people. Edit: fix auto correct mistake

If we are on the average smarter now, we have to see higher achievement rate on the average too. Doesn't seem to happen.

Re: Hacking the Brain

#134

Post by she11c0de »

Sleep 8h each day, eat clean, workout - especially high intensity stuff, watch your stress levels, meditate daily. I've found those to make huge difference if you have the discipline.

Re: Hacking the Brain

#135

Post by manmal »

knzhou wrote: post #112
mike00632 wrote: post #111

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>like visible light,, infrared light gets stopped almost completely by skin Actually light passes through skin rather easily. You can test this by putting a flashlight up to your hand. Light even acts as a catalyst for nutrients in your body according to some recent studies: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24198392

Maybe a fraction can pass through the scalp, but what about the skull?

Near infrared light is of lower frequency than visible light, so it can penetrate matter more easily. UV light barely passes through more than a few layers of skin cells (thereby potentially overloading those cells with a lot of energy, causing DNA damage), while visible light can go millimeters deep, and near infrared can go even deeper. Near infrared can be used to measure bone density. This would not work if bone were fully opaque to IR light.

Re: Hacking the Brain

#136

Post by manmal »

rubicon33 wrote: post #130
knzhou wrote: post #112

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Maybe a fraction can pass through the scalp, but what about the skull?

Seriously, why is nobody else asking THIS question. I'm usually convinced there are a ton of really smart people on HN... much smarter than myself. Yet, this thread is one of those few times where I'm found doubting. Either I am just totally missing the facts here, or yea... there's some wild placebo + self convincing going on.

You are missing facts indeed, see my sibling comment.

Re: Hacking the Brain

#137

Post by manmal »

lima wrote: post #68
heyoni wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wouldn’t get the same if not more of all the wavelengths by just sitting outside for 5 minutes? Is that maybe what you’ve been missing?

You're not missing anything, sufficiently bright natural sunlight would have the same effect.

No, radiation is not strong enough to have a significant effect, according to Prof Hamblin. Locations that are higher up (mountains) are better in that regard.

Re: Hacking the Brain

#138

Post by manmal »

rubicon33 wrote: post #132
manmal wrote: post #64

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have several devices, one from a manufacturer called "Red Light Man", but the best effect I get with a $25 CCTV infrared radiator (850nm) that didn't even have a power adapter shipped with it. Photobiomodulation is ideal at 830nm (maximal energy resorption by chromophores in human cells), so 850nm is quite close to optimal. There are more expensive solutions of course, even therapeutic lasers that cost a couple tho…

Is this similar to the hair restoration helmets that use lights/lasers?

They use the same principle yes. Hair growth seems to be a mixed bag for near infrared though, it works for some people but not all.

Re: Hacking the Brain

#139

Post by cwkoss »

knzhou wrote: post #106
manmal wrote: post #16

I haven’t found near infrared radiation referenced in the article - I‘m using near infrared as a brain hack, by shining a cheap 850nm LED light on my forehead. This has, over the last 2 years, enabled me to code for weeks on end, for 12+ hours a day, with only minor cognitive decline. It’s not something I really want to do, but sometimes it’s useful. Before I started the near infrared routine (~5 minutes every other…

I'm seeing a lot of comments, both positive and negative, but no answer to the important question: what the hell is the mechanism? How is this light supposed to actually get through to your brain? These aren't X-rays or microwaves; like visible light, infrared light gets stopped almost completely by skin.

You might be interested in biophotons: human body emits dim light constantly. These photons may be functional and not just a byproduct. Many sources are a bit 'woo', so take with a grain of salt, but there is an idea floating around that some molecules are excited by specific wavelengths, and so by targeting cells with these wavelengths you can preferentially change the reaction rate of certain molecules it contains.
Post reply on HN