alt Hacker NewsI believe that we'll see a lot of "x is good for your brain" news (with X just being any activity that doesn't involve a screen), now that attention spans are so short and everyone feels like their brain isn't the same anymore.
The same way we got gyms when people realized physical inactivity is super unhealthy.
Replies
I suspect we'll find out that "programming is good for your brain" as well...
NB I'm 61 and recently started developing something almost entirely for the mental workout if provides
Edit: I also wanted to use HTMX so I could become CEO one day
Funnily enough, my bird watching does in fact involve a screen — the electronic viewfinder on my camera[0].
Jokes aside, there is a very definite difference in how my brain "feels" when I'm walking around, camera in hand, looking for things to photograph. It's like I'm in a different "cognitive mode", for the lack of a better term. It's not just about being present and in the moment, but about seeing the world around you from a different perspective.
0. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1tnMlazV0g1syoRPLALJ6576YSYQ...
I think it is slightly different than that. I think it is more about active brain activity versus passive. Learning how to play Riichi Mahjong (e.g.) would likely show a similar effect. A lot of people push brain puzzles as a tool against dementia, etc. but it is only helpful when learning a new puzzle type. Once you over learn it, our innate pattern matching takes over and you start playing on auto-pilot, it stops "rewiring" your brain. Just sitting on the couch binging streaming or swiping through shorts is likely to atrophy your brain.
Obviously being out in nature has other mental health benefits. The key thing is to keep learning and stay curious. Drive to some new nearby town on a weekend and learn about its history. Learn a new hobby like full f-stop photography or learn how to bake or cook (learn all four base sauces). Take up board games and explore all the different kinds of experiences they provide today.
"Doing X is good for your brain/health."
Where 'X' is almost anything that humans evolved to do in hunter gatherer nomadic tribal groups.
In other news, sky is blue.
> with X just being any activity that doesn't involve a screen
and done by top 1 percent of the world
[flagged]
> now that attention spans are so short
> Psychologists and neuroscientists find no structural decline in the human brain's ability to focus. Sustained attention limits remain largely unchanged.
Engaging with Torment Nexus Less Found to Lower Stress, Increase Life Expectancy