Walking outside to think: 200% brain productivity

[jaw]

Dear all,

In this post I'd like to ask if there's anyone observing the same thing like me, and how do you explain my observations.

Sleep Apnea causes a lack of oxygen to the brain while sleeping, and while being awake it causes also a slow mode to the brain to save energy. That's what I often heard of.

Now, when I notice that if I walk outside and think about my work, then my brain is able to make connections between the pieces of knowledge that is hard to gain in a normal working environment (in house and sitting). With walking outside I often gain understanding to the areas that I have not understood after years of working on the topic.

That I say is a 200% boost in brain productivity.


Given that I have a severe sleep apnea, what do you think could be the explanation ? 1) RLS: Restless Leg Syndrome; 2) Outside is a new environment; 3) Outside is with more oxygen; 4) Standing is better for the brain than sitting.

1) RLS: Restless Leg Syndrome.
I often hear that Sleep Apnea goes in pair with RLS. I don't know if I have it, but

- While lying down on the bed, but still awake, I like to move my two feet, like this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2eGoHk9AAc.
- I don't have any idea about my legs when I sleep. At the beginning 15 minutes of the sleep though my brain sometimes think I walk onto a hole and wakes me up (shortly). But in deep sleep I am not aware of being waken up due to my moving leg

So is that because of the RLS that my legs like to move, and when I move them while walking they do not bother my brain and let it think properly ?


2) Outside is a new environment

I always have concentration problem (study in early years of my life, work as a computer programmer up til now, age 38). But if I clean my desk or re-arrange my working room, then for the first 2-3 days I do have very good concentration.

So is that because of the liking for something new, that my brain is boosted while walking and see the new environment around me ?


3) Outside is with more oxygen
Yeah, always a feeling of fresh air is there outside, but the difference in oxygen density per cm3 air is not big between inside and outside, right ?

We could say that outside is colder, which makes the brain more alert, but with the working room's window open during summer, the temprature difference is not high between inside and outside.

4) Standing is better for the brain than sitting.

Yes sometimes to have better concentration while reading a book I also stand next to a window, put the book infront of me and read. But is that the real big difference ?

Thanks

[WarmBodies]

All truly great thoughts are conceived by walking. - Friedrich Nietzsche

[avi123]

Those questions that you're are asking have you tried to ask psychiatrists psychologists or neurologists?

[BlackSpinner]

Humans are designed to walk & run, not to sit in chairs.

We were designed to run down our prey in groups - that takes thinking and cooperation. Then we had to hump all that dripping fresh meat to where the elders,sick & injured, children & pregnant women were waiting, without attracting attention of the big predators.
All that requires thinking & awareness.

[chunkyfrog]

Outdoors is also full of fresh air and bright light.
Oxygen in the air feeds the brain, and light causes a surge in alertness.
Exercise in good surroundings and the effect is enhanced.
Calisthenics in a dank place is misery.

[avi123]

Even Stephen Hawking goes out:

"Although I'm severely disabled, I have been successful in my scientific work, I travel widely and have been to Antarctica and Easter Island, down in a submarine and up on a zero-gravity flight. One day, I hope to go into space."

[BlackSpinner]

Outdoors is also full of fresh air and bright light.
Oxygen in the air feeds the brain, and light causes a surge in alertness.
Exercise in good surroundings and the effect is enhanced.
Calisthenics in a dank place is misery.

Most homes are very toxic too with inadequate ventilation, mold, toxic cleaning chemicals, fire retardant chemicals oozing from the rugs & furniture, plastic off gassing, dust mites, mouse feces.......

[jaw]

Outdoors is also full of fresh air and bright light.
Oxygen in the air feeds the brain, and light causes a surge in alertness.
Exercise in good surroundings and the effect is enhanced.
Calisthenics in a dank place is misery.

Most homes are very toxic too with inadequate ventilation, mold, toxic cleaning chemicals, fire retardant chemicals oozing from the rugs & furniture, plastic off gassing, dust mites, mouse feces.......

I agree with you that homes have many toxic particles.

But then it seems that oxygen is not the most important factor in this, since the difference in density of oxygen is not big between in-outside ?

[jaw]

Those questions that you're are asking have you tried to ask psychiatrists psychologists or neurologists?

I have not, by the way what is the difference between a psychiatrist and a psychologist ?

[Julie]

Psychiatrist is a medical doctor who can prescribe medication, a psychologist cannot, though may carry out (apart from 'talk therapy') different types of tests to research many aspects of psychological behaviour.

[yaconsult]

There is a great free online course by the University of California, San Diego on coursera that I would recommend to you. It explains how we learn new things and how and when we connect bits of information together in our minds. Sleeping is an important part of the process! The course starts up again on 8/22 and you can sign up for it here: https://www.coursera.org/learn/learning-how-to-learn I have taken this course and highly recommend it. You could stop at any time without penalty if it doesn't appeal to you. There is no charge unless you want a certificate at course completion which is typically only wanted by those taking a course for college credit. Since you don't need that, the course is 100% free and you do it all online. You will learn a lot about learning! You can see the course syllabus here: https://www.coursera.org/learn/learning ... n#syllabus. When asked, just say that you DON'T want a certificate or certification and that you want to audit the couse - that's when it is free of charge.

[Sir NoddinOff]

The leg muscles are the largest in the body and when one walks, bikes or whatever their compression and release help circulate blood/oxygen throughout the body. I would imagine that includes the brain which uses lots of oxygen to function properly.

[avi123]

Those questions that you're are asking have you tried to ask psychiatrists psychologists or neurologists?

I have not, by the way what is the difference between a psychiatrist and a psychologist ?

Usually, psychiatrists are allowed to prescribe medicine but psychologists are not.

[LSAT]

Avi should walk outside more often...........

[jaw]

Avi should walk outside more often...........

And "Avi" means ?