# How do you keep your brain fit?



## Kaznos (May 3, 2018)

Is there something mentally engaging you do outside of work/studies to exercise your mind?


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## valosagutas (Nov 5, 2017)

I explain complex ideas concisely to fools.


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## Forest Nymph (Aug 25, 2018)

I read a lot and do research outside of work and studies. I refuse to watch a lot of television. Like, I "allow myself" to have TV nights or movie nights, as a relaxation treat. I make sure I'm actually reading or writing constantly. I do watch YouTube videos, but they're almost always non-fiction, documentary, or political style stuff. I listen to music constantly. I was so happy the other night, spending the night with my new friend, and he refused to watch a movie if it wasn't this media that he was "supposed" to be concentrating on, and we just listened to music all night and then some political comedy and fell asleep to a Noam Chomsky speech. I am so like...I really like this guy ...he shares my strange "discipline." I put "discipline" in parenthesis because we both are moderate drinkers, so we are both far from perfect, but he reads stacks and stacks of books, and listens to music and political speeches just like I do, his fear of television and commercials deeply satisfying to me. 

I read somewhere that watching TV hypnotizes you. You might as well be on heroin, unless you're specifically watching a film or films that you're very engaged in. Watching shows just to be watching them is the worst thing for your brain ever. I mean just look at the IQ of Merica.

I also occasionally work word or visual puzzles, make arts and crafts, and I spend a lot of time in nature (I went to a national park today), sometimes challenging myself through backpacking in wilderness (did this in November) or living off grid for months with limited access to technology of any kind (did this for a few months last summer). 

I have developed a recent fondness for plant tax too. I had some exposure to plant tax in my undergrad, and I also studied French for years as well Minoring in English Lit, while being an Enviro Sci Major, so the Latin appeals to me - the patterns, the hidden meanings, the verbal tricks. Plus it's just fun to take walks or hike and make myself name plants.

I try meditation. Sometimes it works for me other times it doesn't. I wish I could do TM every day, but I just don't have that focused, N sort of mind. I meditate best while walking in nature or listening to music or doing yoga, tbh.


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## Veggie (May 22, 2011)

^It's funny because I do watch a lot of television (or, well, I stream content) for the purpose of brain fitness. Different strokes for folks I suppose. 

I don't feel hypnotized when I do. I usually watch new Netflix originals or Amazon Prime series, and a lot of those have this cool, quirky indie quality to them that isn't formulaic and predictable. I like the binge format. My mind feels the sharpest when it's not too start and stop. I have a bit of an addictive personality because of this. I love to fully immerse myself in things. 

I feel more in flow when I'm connected to the hive mind (yet simultaneously partially removed - I rarely use most of my social media accounts). I like to know what's trending, and I'm often googling while I watch, by whatever it inspires or makes me curious about. My "research" is pretty random, and I like it that way. I'm somewhat versed in many things, but I don't tend to attempt to become an expert on anything particularly usually. It gets boring to me after a while.

I don't often seek out the news or current events anymore beyond having a basic understanding of what's happening for conversation's sake. I could spend a majority of my time hanging in/at bars, get togethers, group chats. Sometimes I feel like my downtime is just preparing me to be a better conversationalist for those moments. I do a lot of learning just listening to other people talk and from their perspectives too. I've always had a varied circle of friends, and I enjoy meeting new people (particularly one on one or in smaller groups). 

I watch a lot of stand-up, and late night interviews and the like on YouTube. Even if it's just Jennifer Lawrence talking about getting into a bar fight whilst drinking wine, or David Spade recounting when he had to snort B12 pretending it was coke for a role... if it's engaging and funny I feel alive, and like I'm in the creative part of my mind (which is my fave part ). I appreciate the story telling aspect. It's a stimulating art in itself. I was a theatre major in college, and minored in creative writing for a while.

I do trivia quizzes and play video games. My fave is the Sims despite it having lost it's popularity among gamers decades ago, lol. But they're still putting them out there. The detail orientation with trying to get the home deco or towns just right creates a zen focus. 

I used to have a probably somewhat unhealthy addiction to online arguments, and I'd admittedly bait a little sometimes. You can lose Days with that ish though, so I've backed off that quite a bit. Used to play mafia as debate for it's sake on this forum too.

I also try to stick to a minimal amount of food for the sake of feeling more alert.


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## Archon of Life (Aug 29, 2018)

Is listing physical exercise a bit redundant? Not sure, but I'll be redundant in any case. Physical exercise is one of the best ways to exercise the mind. The mind isn't exactly in a vacuum. The body it's in is very important. 
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neurobiological_effects_of_physical_exercise#BDNF_signaling)

I also fast often, having only one nutritious meal a day. My cognition always drops even just a bit whenever I eat something, so I like to keep that to a healthy minimum. I think that has something to do with fasting's interplay with BDNF production. ( https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4013772/)

I try to listen to an hour or so of lectures a day about something I'm interested in and likewise read a chapter of a book about something I'm interested in. If it's a lecture, I try to take notes of sort just to help me process what's being said. 

The three things above are daily. Sometimes I also write fiction and play building games (like MineCraft). I should do a bit more of these two things too, but there's only so many hours in a day.


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## The red spirit (Sep 29, 2015)

Yes, learning Japanese


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## Chriss6419 (12 mo ago)

Here are some tips by which you can keep your brain fit are;

Get enough sleep.
Eat a healthy diet.
Exercise regularly.


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