Comments on: Science in Action: Why Did I Sleep So Well? (part 2) http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2008/08/15/science-in-action-why-did-i-sleep-so-well-part-2/ Self-Experimentation, Scientific Method, the Shangri-La Diet, etc. Tue, 16 Mar 2010 17:46:33 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.7 by: Kroatien http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2008/08/15/science-in-action-why-did-i-sleep-so-well-part-2/#comment-242603 Wed, 03 Dec 2008 07:16:46 +0000 http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2008/08/15/science-in-action-why-did-i-sleep-so-well-part-2/#comment-242603 Hello webmaster I like your post "Science in Action: Why Did I Sleep So Well? (part 2)" so well that I like to ask you whether I should translate into German and linking back. Answer welcome. Greetings Kroatien Hello webmaster I like your post “Science in Action: Why Did I Sleep So Well? (part 2)” so well that I like to ask you whether I should translate into German and linking back. Answer welcome. Greetings Kroatien

]]> by: Seth’s blog » Blog Archive » Science in Action: Why Did I Sleep So Well? (part 5) http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2008/08/15/science-in-action-why-did-i-sleep-so-well-part-2/#comment-209823 Wed, 20 Aug 2008 16:22:11 +0000 http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2008/08/15/science-in-action-why-did-i-sleep-so-well-part-2/#comment-209823 [...] Science in Action: Why Did I Sleep So Well? (part 2) [...] […] Science in Action: Why Did I Sleep So Well? (part 2) […]

]]> by: Seth’s blog » Blog Archive » Why Did I Sleep So Well? directory http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2008/08/15/science-in-action-why-did-i-sleep-so-well-part-2/#comment-209822 Wed, 20 Aug 2008 16:19:50 +0000 http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2008/08/15/science-in-action-why-did-i-sleep-so-well-part-2/#comment-209822 [...] Science in Action: Why Did I Sleep So Well? (part 2) [...] […] Science in Action: Why Did I Sleep So Well? (part 2) […]

]]> by: seth http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2008/08/15/science-in-action-why-did-i-sleep-so-well-part-2/#comment-209057 Mon, 18 Aug 2008 23:06:24 +0000 http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2008/08/15/science-in-action-why-did-i-sleep-so-well-part-2/#comment-209057 Evconvert, my threshold for stopping is low. "Too painful" means "more than slightly uncomfortable". Or even "slightly uncomfortable." You could say I stop when it becomes difficult to continue. Evconvert, my threshold for stopping is low. “Too painful” means “more than slightly uncomfortable”. Or even “slightly uncomfortable.” You could say I stop when it becomes difficult to continue.

]]> by: evconvert http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2008/08/15/science-in-action-why-did-i-sleep-so-well-part-2/#comment-209026 Mon, 18 Aug 2008 20:58:58 +0000 http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2008/08/15/science-in-action-why-did-i-sleep-so-well-part-2/#comment-209026 Could you elaborate on what "too painful" means exactly? I think I can stand on one leg for a long long time in various states of discomfort to pain. Could you elaborate on what “too painful” means exactly? I think I can stand on one leg for a long long time in various states of discomfort to pain.

]]> by: Seth’s blog » Blog Archive » Science in Action: Why Did I Sleep So Well? (part 3) http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2008/08/15/science-in-action-why-did-i-sleep-so-well-part-2/#comment-208419 Sun, 17 Aug 2008 06:05:40 +0000 http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2008/08/15/science-in-action-why-did-i-sleep-so-well-part-2/#comment-208419 [...] Science in Action: Why Did I Sleep So Well? (part 2) [...] […] Science in Action: Why Did I Sleep So Well? (part 2) […]

]]> by: Nadav http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2008/08/15/science-in-action-why-did-i-sleep-so-well-part-2/#comment-208337 Sun, 17 Aug 2008 02:30:05 +0000 http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2008/08/15/science-in-action-why-did-i-sleep-so-well-part-2/#comment-208337 Consider that humans evolved to stand--actually to walk--for long periods in search of food, and also to undergo short periods of extreme exertion when killing prey or fleeing from danger. Maybe some combination of both produces optimal sleep. Consider that humans evolved to stand–actually to walk–for long periods in search of food, and also to undergo short periods of extreme exertion when killing prey or fleeing from danger. Maybe some combination of both produces optimal sleep.

]]> by: Heidi 555 http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2008/08/15/science-in-action-why-did-i-sleep-so-well-part-2/#comment-208258 Sat, 16 Aug 2008 23:23:12 +0000 http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2008/08/15/science-in-action-why-did-i-sleep-so-well-part-2/#comment-208258 That’s great how a wrong weight loss hypothesis led to improved sleep. Actually, I was thinking that the standing on one leg was less unusual than many of the other things on your list (in the previous post of why you slept so well). It was helpful for me to read your list and have a glimpse of how you generate self-experimentation ideas. I hope that you’ll continue to write about the things that you’ll do to test these possibilities. I admire your ability to come up with obscure and unusual ideas. I wrote a list of things that help me to sleep better, but they are more obvious commonly accepted kinds of things. I’m pondering how to look for more unusual correlation. Today I stood on one leg on a balance board while washing dishes. I like the challenge of it – it was fun. I actually was sorry that I didn’t have more dishes to wash! That’s great how a wrong weight loss hypothesis led to improved sleep. Actually, I was thinking that the standing on one leg was less unusual than many of the other things on your list (in the previous post of why you slept so well). It was helpful for me to read your list and have a glimpse of how you generate self-experimentation ideas. I hope that you’ll continue to write about the things that you’ll do to test these possibilities. I admire your ability to come up with obscure and unusual ideas. I wrote a list of things that help me to sleep better, but they are more obvious commonly accepted kinds of things. I’m pondering how to look for more unusual correlation.

Today I stood on one leg on a balance board while washing dishes. I like the challenge of it – it was fun. I actually was sorry that I didn’t have more dishes to wash!

]]> by: seth http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2008/08/15/science-in-action-why-did-i-sleep-so-well-part-2/#comment-208102 Sat, 16 Aug 2008 17:48:38 +0000 http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2008/08/15/science-in-action-why-did-i-sleep-so-well-part-2/#comment-208102 Thanks, Heidi. The hypothesis in this post -- that standing on one leg will improve sleep -- isn't implausible given my earlier observations that standing for many hours improved sleep. In the earlier work I found that until the standing became stressful (= many hours) it had no effect. I should have realized back then that it might be the stress, not the hours, and that other ways of producing stress might have the same effect. But you're right, I did entertain a strange hypothesis. It happened when I considered the possibility that mere standing (not exercise) would cause weight loss. That's why I started standing a lot many years ago. That hypothesis turned out to be completely wrong -- I didn't lose any weight -- but I did start to sleep much better. Thanks, Heidi. The hypothesis in this post — that standing on one leg will improve sleep — isn’t implausible given my earlier observations that standing for many hours improved sleep. In the earlier work I found that until the standing became stressful (= many hours) it had no effect. I should have realized back then that it might be the stress, not the hours, and that other ways of producing stress might have the same effect.

But you’re right, I did entertain a strange hypothesis. It happened when I considered the possibility that mere standing (not exercise) would cause weight loss. That’s why I started standing a lot many years ago. That hypothesis turned out to be completely wrong — I didn’t lose any weight — but I did start to sleep much better.

]]> by: Heidi 555 http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2008/08/15/science-in-action-why-did-i-sleep-so-well-part-2/#comment-208013 Sat, 16 Aug 2008 11:45:15 +0000 http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2008/08/15/science-in-action-why-did-i-sleep-so-well-part-2/#comment-208013 Seth, I see why you are so successful with self-experimentation. You are willing to entertain some unusual hypotheses in terms of cause and effect. And then you have the patience to test them out. I think that your ability to remain open to unusual correlation is key. It appears that one must initially learn to suspend the mind’s (left brain) critical judgement. My brain immediately discredits certain hypotheses as implausible. Also, I tend to assume that there are multiple causes for an effect that work together synergistically, so combinations of variables that play a part can seem overwhelming. (I’ve been reading the book: My Stroke of Insight by Jill Bolte Taylor so I’ve been thinking about brain pathways involved with things. She is a neuroscientist who had a severe stroke and was able to articulate what occurred from that perspective. It’s a fascinating and inspiring read.) I feel inspired to test your standing on one leg hypothesis. I enjoy yoga one-legged postures even though I rarely do them. Also, I’ve wanted to improve my balance by standing on one leg on a balance disc. When I did T-Tapp I most enjoyed the exercises that entailed standing on one leg. I did those one legged exercises for quite an extended period of time. I don’t recall if my sleep was better, but it might have been. I am curious about other health benefits of one-legged standing. Seth, I see why you are so successful with self-experimentation. You are willing to entertain some unusual hypotheses in terms of cause and effect. And then you have the patience to test them out. I think that your ability to remain open to unusual correlation is key. It appears that one must initially learn to suspend the mind’s (left brain) critical judgement. My brain immediately discredits certain hypotheses as implausible. Also, I tend to assume that there are multiple causes for an effect that work together synergistically, so combinations of variables that play a part can seem overwhelming.

(I’ve been reading the book: My Stroke of Insight by Jill Bolte Taylor so I’ve been thinking about brain pathways involved with things. She is a neuroscientist who had a severe stroke and was able to articulate what occurred from that perspective. It’s a fascinating and inspiring read.)

I feel inspired to test your standing on one leg hypothesis. I enjoy yoga one-legged postures even though I rarely do them. Also, I’ve wanted to improve my balance by standing on one leg on a balance disc. When I did T-Tapp I most enjoyed the exercises that entailed standing on one leg. I did those one legged exercises for quite an extended period of time. I don’t recall if my sleep was better, but it might have been. I am curious about other health benefits of one-legged standing.

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