Stimulating your brain

Nonfiction books on tape are shockingly awesome, and you can listen to them while you're driving / doing other stuff. You'd be surprised at the length and depth of what you can get too -- ancient Chinese history is a good place to start.
 
run
get exercise early in the morning
its good for establishing routine and combating laziness
you will have more energy and be more alert
that way you're actually awake in the morning
and it requires no thinking, so your brain will be free for a productive day

sounds weird, but it works if the above is what you're looking for
 
I do a crossword puzzle every day. If you don't think you're good, just grab a newspaper and give it a try--you may only get three or four, and in time a couple extra, but the more you do them the better you get. I've learned a ton of words and facts just from crossword puzzles! and it makes you look snazzy! :DD
 
I would play Magic the Gathering to stimulate my mind if I were to pick a card game, more complex than Yu-Gi-Oh or Pokemon although it probably doesn't have the fanbase.

I to be honest find clearing my mind more than stimulating to be of use. Not that i'm a fan of yoga or anything but focus is just as important as knowledge in some cases.
 
Reading and talking to people that actually have something interesting to discuss or a wealth of knowledge.

Other than that - trying to understand Women keeps my brain stimulated lol
 
Ah, I feel like this before I go back to school all the time. It's pretty common, as hard as it is to believe sometimes.

The best way to stimulate your brain is to play something like...i don't know Brainage, or something along those lines. Trust me, they stimulate the brain better than anything I know. But, then there is Pokemon, Digimon, Mortal Kombat, and many other games that can stimulate your brain as well.

...Wow. I feel so stupid as I'm typing this. Seriously, I'm supposed to be fourteen, and I'm trying to be smart? [/offtopic]

That aside...yeah. Just do whatever you feel will stimluate your brain.
 
i have to say that i am really glad this thread came about; i'm guilty of letting the internet (and other things) encourage me to be lazy, and i agree with most of what i've read here; there are some great methods, some that i already employ, and some that now that i've had them brought to my attention i will try to remember to use

what i meant to add, though - and forgive me if it has been mentioned, i did skim a bit - is that what gets my brain racing more than anything else is running. i even find that the greater the speed i move, the more my brain kicks into action; walking is great, too, but running seems to crank things into top gear. this could just be the stimulation of being in a moving environment, being outside(!), or oxygen more actively provided to the brain etc

whatever it is, it definitely does it for me like nothing else, and if you don't already, try it!

edit: okay so rokuta not only mentioned this, he was more concise and listed more pros
 
Personally just play games aimed towards stimulating the mind, for example, sudoku, chess, or competitive pokemon... and sometimes I just do some art, writing, songwriting, or reading other works.

I also like physical releases like going out for a run which is always awesome, a few laps around the block or something. Aerobics or cardiovascular stuff, biking, or whatever.
 
I'm a big fan of solitaire to stimulate my mind if I'm alone, otherwise I'm playing Euchre every chance I get. Cards in general keep me stimulated, be it games or tricks.

Other than that, running and weight lifting make my brains happy, but it's more the endorphine rush you get from physical activity that makes me feel stimulated.
 
Like many people have said, regular exercise is a great way to stimulate the brain.
Go for a walk in a park or forest if you live near one. Not a run, mind you, as the point is to observe and be attentive. Take everything in and learn to see things as they are; the texture, shape, colours...you'll find a renewed enthusiasm for life and learning when you can appreciate even the mundane.

Of course, exercise that gets you moving is great too. Particularly exercise that doesn't include repetitive, grinding motions. Instead of running on a treadmill, go run someplace you've never been before.

What you eat also affects your mental acuity. There's plenty of information on nutrition available out there so I don't need to go into much detail. Avoid sugar, caffeine and other stimulants that cause dependency, crashes, and that tax your body.

A lot of people are mentioning chess and other games that promote lateral thinking which is great. Just thought I'd bring up some things you can do with your body that overall will increase your mental agility, health, and mood, which in turn means you'll feel less lazy, unmotivated, and bored. Reading, meditating, and actively NOT watching TV work great too.
 
I am satisfied at all the answers I got so far and i think this is helping other people like me too so this was a good idea :toast:

i used to run occasionally, but i usually did it with friends and said friends are all in vacations now. should be amended once they get back

will try chess or mtg in due time, getting a partner on mtg is sorta hard to do! and if you dont know the game/cards very much like me it's gonna be sorta hard in the beginning but rewarding by the end, i'd wager

i dont understand how solitaire stimulates your brain; is it because you have to plan ahead as to where to put the right cards? it just seems like a simple game to me

im guilty of being a lazy reader... my biggest achievement on the "reading" category is having read the last two harry potter books in english, but that's no big deal. i might try to read some of the most renowned portuguese books out there
 
Hate to make this topic sound like a broken record but ever since I got back into Shoddy a month or two ago I've really felt a bit, well, smarter. Mainly because I like to try and improvise with UU/NU pokemon in OU and up succeeding a fair amount of the time.

Also have you ever considered making video games as a hobby? If so, there are several free programs you could use, such as the aptly named Game Maker and the RPG Maker series if you like RPGs (google it - the later programs are shareware, unfortunately. 95/2k/2k3 were only meant for Japan use but shit happened and everyone downloads them freely now). The whole development process, especially with RPGs, will definitely make you think.

Books are also amazing. Exercise too, and bla bla bla you probably know the rest by now
 
I agree with what Cartoons! said. Diet and exorcise is huge, and I would also add getting a consistent amount of sleep to that.

Metabolism is like a bonfire. You need some brush and leaves to get the fire started, but you also need some wood in there to keep it going efficiently. Running on just one or the other won't work. You need simple carbs like cereal and fruit, but you also need things that are more substantive like vegetables that take more time to burn so that the fire can last eight hours. Sugar highs and caffeine won't do that.

Also, sleep runs in a cycle called circadian rhythm, and you will feel better throughout the day if you pick a comfortable time to wake up and go to bed every day that is neither too few or too many hours of sleep. Find out how many hours feels the best for you, and stick to it. Your body likes routine whether your personality agrees or not.
 
@Doomsday: I feel you, man. Senior year of high school, I got incredibly lazy, and I would do crap like watch all 6 American Pie movies in a row and then go out and talk to friends. I flunked out of Calc-based Physics @ my community college.

Now I'm at Uni, and I'm horrified to find how less I know about...anything. I'm even rusty when it comes to Calculus.

I guess you could get out your old textbooks and review your old lessons. Or better yet, try to learn new ones, going at your own pace. Exercising helps as well, of course.

As a very last resort, go out and do crazy things like binge drink with friends and watch craploads of movies and stuff. Get all the partying out of your system so you won't want to do it again.

Well it sort of worked for me...I feel more motivated. Although getting drunk does kinda suck, so don't overdo it, but I bet you knew that already.
 
Some simple things:
1. I have Google desktop installed on my computer, and there's a bunch of nifty gadgets you can install. I have a sudoku gadget, so when I'm bored, just click the button and get a sudoku puzzle.
2. I have a book of word searches on my nightstand. I do one each night, timing yourself is optional.

Both make you think rationally and all that stuff.
 
I enjoy stimulating my brain by Theorymoning and Team Building. When I build my teams, I have to think of everything in the metagame, and what impact it has on my team. I also have to think about synergy between my members, and it really gives my brain a work out! I enjoy doing it too, I find it to be alot of fun.
 
I would say the key to a healthy brain is to be interested in your surroundings. For example, just today I observed fish in a tank at a Chinese restaurant. I spent ~5 minutes observing the different ways that the fish moved in the water. A few had their dorsal and rear fins attached to each other; those would do a full body undulation to propel themselves. It seemed the ones without connected dorsal fins preferred to hover and had an easier time rotating themselves using their side (I forget the technical term) fins.

Essentially just challenge yourself to see more in your surroundings than you did before.

Small tangent: My cousin got ~3 packs of Pokemon cards the other day. It was painful to see how far Pokemon TCG has gone downhill. Chimchar had a move called Magma Storm for a Grass energy. There are numerous type spacing errors and the accented e stands out because it's printed in a far different font. Lickitung's flavor text said that it's antennae clicked together to make musical notes. Vigoroth had a move called 'Fighe Back.' Such a shame, I kinda liked the game back in the day.
 
Phantom_IV said:
I would say the key to a healthy brain is to be interested in your surroundings. For example, just today I observed fish in a tank at a Chinese restaurant. I spent ~5 minutes observing the different ways that the fish moved in the water. A few had their dorsal and rear fins attached to each other; those would do a full body undulation to propel themselves. It seemed the ones without connected dorsal fins preferred to hover and had an easier time rotating themselves using their side (I forget the technical term) fins.

Essentially just challenge yourself to see more in your surroundings than you did before.

Small tangent: My cousin got ~3 packs of Pokemon cards the other day. It was painful to see how far Pokemon TCG has gone downhill. Chimchar had a move called Magma Storm for a Grass energy. There are numerous type spacing errors and the accented e stands out because it's printed in a far different font. Lickitung's flavor text said that it's antennae clicked together to make musical notes. Vigoroth had a move called 'Fighe Back.' Such a shame, I kinda liked the game back in the day.
Click to expand...

Something tells me those cards your cousin got were counterfeits, and very bad ones at that. He didn't purchase them at a flea market did he?

Granted the Delta Species cards were quite out there, but DS was before 4th gen was even released. Your cousin got ripped off big time.

Good counterfeiters make it less obvious than that one. My bet is he skipped town and used an alias when he sold the cards.
 
Yesterday I got my philosophy book for the high school.

I have read some parts and it was THE best brain stimulating EVER.

There are also texts from various books. I really liked those that are from The Republic by Plato. I have an entire book on comp I might read it(even though I can't really be very concentrated while on comp.
 
Ah DK, thanks for the tip. Somewhat of a relief to hear that the game hasn't become an embarrassment to the franchise. On the other hand, I do think that the movesets (likely copied, albeit incorrectly) were a tad uncreative.
 
Hm. In terms of keeping the gray matter swirling around freely in my mind, I usually read books that aren't trash. Decline and Fall is excellent, and I started on The Republic earlier but I haven't been able to finish it.

Sudoku is also mildly amusing if you don't have anything else to do. I also have a hunch that exercise helps to keep one's brain healthy. I play tennis, and I always feel much more alert after I do.
 
I solve the Times' word and chess puzzles. Occasionally, I work on my mental arithmetic; I ask people on MSN for 2 random numbers between 11 and 99, and multiply them.

If I need to be alert for something, I solve a Rubik's cube beforehand. This is particularly useful because I am not well practiced, so it actually requires mental effort. I average 4-5 minutes and my best time is only 2:50 or so.
 
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