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Have you never worked out before Visvaldis? A good workout IS good for your brain. Your circulation improves, more blood goes to your brain, you sleep better. You clear away stress and sweat toxins out. Why do you think so many very successful people start their days with aerobic exercize?
Forget the sudoku, run a few miles!
I don't do sudoku, nor crossword puzzles.
Physical workouts are good for the brain, I don't doubt that. What is a successful person? A tidy bank account? A luxury car?
I'm really interested in what people do after their jobs, something for which they will not necessarily get paid. Something they do for the passion of interest.
I am a Do-it-Yourselfer when it comes to home remodeling and repairs. Figuring out how to do these things, make them work and/or look good is a nice mental challenge.
I like teaching myself new things... e.g. I just started learning how to play the guitar. I often try to learn new ways to juggle.
I have several books full of "IQ" tests that I will dabble in. These brain puzzles are good at stimulating the ol' neurons.
Read. Word games. Debate with friends and family (this is my favorite). Debate on CDF. Lol...
I think I know what you mean. Several years ago I met a girl who told me she reads a lot. I asked her what she reads. Her answer; Reader's Digest, People Magazine, Star, and a few other periodicals on that level.
I'll agree that some jobs require much mental work. Do these people leave their brains at their desks?
Sometimes you have to. Sometimes you've multitasked and performed multiple high-level functions simultaneously for so long all day that all you can do when you get home is turn your brain off. Get some exercise...work out your body and get some stress off. Just turn off your brain and tune in some brain candy (books, tv shows, playing frisbee with the dog).
And sometimes you're not completely mentally worn out and you can enjoy other mentally stimulating hobbies.
Personally, I think it’s just as important to exercise the mind as it is to exercise the body to keep it fit.
Although I jog and like to hike, ski, and skate, I’ll admit I have a hard time being consistent, mainly due to my addiction to academic/mental pursuits. I have a bad case of ‘mind over body’ when I make a choice of activity at any given time. Although I sort of force myself to maintain an acceptable level of fitness, mental activities always win when deciding which to do.
I find that there just isn’t enough time in a day to do the ‘mental’ activities that I enjoy (I need 60 hour days or something!): my number one passion is the study of foreign languages from more of a linguistics perspective (although I work on them to actually speak as well); I love to study grammar (both English and comparative), also history, geography; I write dark fiction (novels and short stories); I am a practicing part-time musician; I paint landscapes (haven’t done much of that lately). Although I have a degree in mathematics, I don’t really care to think about that outside of work any more. On the other hand, earning a degree in English (writing emphasis) opened up all sorts of passions for me (most of what is listed above).
I don’t have much of a life beyond this because it takes up almost all of my time outside of work, sleep, and mealtime (and arguing here on City-Data, of course)!
There are supplements you can take based on decades of research into brain chemistry. Choline, inositol, lecithin and other "smart drugs" make your brain work more efficiently by repairing synapses etc. Think of your brain as an engine with parts that need lubricating and occasional flushing of toxic buildup.
Some help your memory, some make you more alert. Vinpocetine helps protect your brain from stroke damage on top of other benefits. It's a natural substance, costs about a dime a day. You can research them all on wikipedia to learn about medical studies and results. Taking the right ones (not the most expensive, heavily promoted ones) can tune up your brain.
Fitness gyms everywhere! Joggers everywhere! What do Americans do to work out their brains?
It must be where you live. I certainly don't see any of that where I am. Come to think about it, where I lived before two states away, I didn't see it there either.
Are you in California? It seems like it would have to be an area where people are obsessed with appearance and looks. Maybe there are other areas like that too.
Fitness gyms everywhere! Joggers everywhere! What do Americans do to work out their brains?
I wonder about this quite often. Some Americans don't care about their physical condition and neglect the brain as well. But some really put in much effort to maintain their body and mind. I'd like to know what they do?
Although many professions require using the brain I am not interested in how much you work your brain at your job. I want to know what you do to work your brain in your spare time only. If it's job related, don't bother to post.
I read 5-7 books a week (all kinds).
Puzzles. Crosswords. Video games (with stuff to solve). Debate online and in person. Continuing ed for work (60 hours required PLUS continuous recertification).
TED talks. Learn new recipes.
I'm always trying to learn how to do new stuff in general. I have attention deficit in the sense that I like to learn how to do new things CONSTANTLY, but once I learn how to do something, I am much less interested in doing it anymore.
So I've learned how to knit and carve and sew and sail, etc. I just like knowing how to do everything.
Another great thing was for the summer I had my five-year-old read 5 to 7 non-fiction books a week. He got to choose the topic. And then we would both go over them and I would make him answer questions about them (multiple choice and math word problems).
We learned a lot about stuff like space and construction and architecture and bugs and dinosaurs.
Museums are great, too.
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