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Is thinking exercise?

rebecca

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So I was thinking on the way to work, that once I was on my bike on an all night 8-hour ride with no sleep, and despite the fact that I was exhausted, I was very much awake. So I was thinking that maybe the body diverts bloodflow to make sure the brain is kept happy and alive and all. That got me thinking about whether or not thinking harder would increase blood flow, which made me wonder if one can burn more calories by thinking harder.

I foresee a whole new line of exercise tapes, where people have to do long division on the exercycle, or maybe memorize and recite poetry while doing jumping jacks.

So I wanted to run it past you smarty pants science-types first, before I pitch the idea to the 8-minute Abs distributor.
 
rebecca said:
Oh sweet jesus, are you saying . . . I'm RIGHT?
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Whoa, let's not jump to conclusions here. I mean... the world can't handle you being right, Becca.

It would depend on your precise definition of exercise. Otherwise any basic function could be concluded as being exercise. I think it would have to be excessive and improve the body's 'normal' functioning as a direct result of its excess use.

Therefore, if you don't normally think much, and then decide to increase this activity, it would have improve cardio-vascular performance before I would say anybody could really call it 'exercise'.

*whew* That was close.

Athon
 
athon said:
Whoa, let's not jump to conclusions here. I mean... the world can't handle you being right, Becca.

It would depend on your precise definition of exercise. Otherwise any basic function could be concluded as being exercise. I think it would have to be excessive and improve the body's 'normal' functioning as a direct result of its excess use.

Athon
Click to expand...

Definition in my case: burning calories.
 
Yeah, I mean, consider this hypothetical sitcheeation: Sitting on the couch watching Joey or whatever the lowest common denominator show is that you get in your respective country, you burn, say, 10 calories. You switch the channel to Nova, you burn 15 calories. I'd qualify the extra thinking as "exercise."

Or, riding my bike and staring at the road, I burn 100 calories. Staring at the road, figuring out square roots, and wondering if thinking is exercise, I burn 110 calories. Possible?

You're not out of the woods yet, Athon.
 
rebecca said:
So I was thinking on the way to work, that once I was on my bike on an all night 8-hour ride with no sleep, and despite the fact that I was exhausted, I was very much awake. So I was thinking that maybe the body diverts bloodflow to make sure the brain is kept happy and alive and all. That got me thinking about whether or not thinking harder would increase blood flow, which made me wonder if one can burn more calories by thinking harder.

I foresee a whole new line of exercise tapes, where people have to do long division on the exercycle, or maybe memorize and recite poetry while doing jumping jacks.

So I wanted to run it past you smarty pants science-types first, before I pitch the idea to the 8-minute Abs distributor.
Click to expand...

A word to the wise: Never think on your way to work. That may be the LAST thought you ever have if you get in a wreck while driving. Do you realize that if you concentrate enough on everything but driving, that even though you are looking straight ahead, you can drive right into someone because you didn't see them, even though you were looking at them? Rather, do your thinking while on the job. :)

*I* am not into the science of what happens physiologically to our bodies when we think. But I do know that using your brain at least helps your brain and helps prevent dimentia. And it might even help give you the power to snuff out street lights once in a while if you can concentrate so hard on stuff that your eyes begin to water. I notice that more street lights go out on me when I am in this state and get in close proximity to some of them. I'm sure you will think it's just coincidence. But I have noted these affects for quite some time now, and it is odd indeed that these do seem to occur when I am in this mmore heightened state. Since it doesn't happen with ALL street lights, I have theorized that it happens to ones that are on the cusp anyway, and my deep thinking is just what it needs to put it over the top.
 
rebecca said:
Yeah, I mean, consider this hypothetical sitcheeation: Sitting on the couch watching Joey or whatever the lowest common denominator show is that you get in your respective country, you burn, say, 10 calories. You switch the channel to Nova, you burn 15 calories. I'd qualify the extra thinking as "exercise."

Or, riding my bike and staring at the road, I burn 100 calories. Staring at the road, figuring out square roots, and wondering if thinking is exercise, I burn 110 calories. Possible?

You're not out of the woods yet, Athon.
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Hmm... this is a tough one. Do I admit that you might be correct, thereby knowingly feeding an already oversaturated ego, or do I struggle on...

*sigh*

Ok, fine. If by 'exercise' you're asking 'does the brain consume more energy some times more than others', then sure. But don't get any ideas that this was a clever thought or anything. Claiming cute and clever is just plain greedy.

Athon
 
Mwa ha, victory!

Now can anyone give me a ballpark figure on how many extra calories a brain can burn?
 
Iamme said:
A word to the wise: Never think on your way to work. That may be the LAST thought you ever have if you get in a wreck while driving. Do you realize that if you concentrate enough on everything but driving, that even though you are looking straight ahead, you can drive right into someone because you didn't see them, even though you were looking at them? Rather, do your thinking while on the job. :)
Click to expand...
That is quite true.


But then you had to go and say this...

Iamme said:
*I* am not into the science of what happens physiologically to our bodies when we think. But I do know that using your brain at least helps your brain and helps prevent dimentia. And it might even help give you the power to snuff out street lights once in a while if you can concentrate so hard on stuff that your eyes begin to water. I notice that more street lights go out on me when I am in this state and get in close proximity to some of them. I'm sure you will think it's just coincidence. But I have noted these affects for quite some time now, and it is odd indeed that these do seem to occur when I am in this mmore heightened state. Since it doesn't happen with ALL street lights, I have theorized that it happens to ones that are on the cusp anyway, and my deep thinking is just what it needs to put it over the top.
Click to expand...

We need a "shakes head" or a "sigh" smilie...
 
rebecca said:
Mwa ha, victory!

Now can anyone give me a ballpark figure on how many extra calories a brain can burn?
Click to expand...

I burned a quarter of a calorie just trying to answer that question.

If you increase from using 10 percent of your brain to using 100 percent, I'd say you better down some donuts before you waste away.
 
athon said:
Whoa, let's not jump to conclusions here. I mean... the world can't handle you being right, Becca.

It would depend on your precise definition of exercise. Otherwise any basic function could be concluded as being exercise. I think it would have to be excessive and improve the body's 'normal' functioning as a direct result of its excess use.

Therefore, if you don't normally think much, and then decide to increase this activity, it would have improve cardio-vascular performance before I would say anybody could really call it 'exercise'.

*whew* That was close.

Athon
Click to expand...

There goes another quarter calorie. Wondering, "What the hell is Rebecca doing over here in the Science section!?!"
 
rebecca said:
I foresee a whole new line of exercise tapes, where people have to do long division on the exercycle, or maybe memorize and recite poetry while doing jumping jacks.
Click to expand...

I don't think that would work, I seem to recall reading something of Feynman's about how the brain can't focus whilst physically exterted. The example he gave was trying to recite multiplication tables whilst carrying a piano, I think.

I'll look it up when I get home in case I just made that up.
 
I wonder how many calories we burn trying to make sense of Rebecca's wacky threads! :) Or better yet, how many calories do we burn just thinking about Rebecca? I suppose that can vary considerably depending on the ...um... content of those thoughts. :wink8:
 
Look, we've already made some progress proving me right, now let's all focus on exactly how right I am.

TKing, obviously there's a sliding scale there. I can think, walk, and chew bubble gum all at once. I can do math on my bike, and I've been able to philosophize on the treadmill. I imagine at what point of strenuous activity a person can't think anymore? I think my exercise video is still possible . . . and VERY marketable. $$$
 
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