Anybody do Lumosity? Anybody try doing it high?

[11eleven11]

I have an account and I occasionally do my daily session high. I only use Cannabis on the weekends, so occasionally on a weekend I'll be high playing my lumosity for the day. It seriously doesn't seem to affect my memory or speed or anything at all. I'm not any better (no sativa super powers heh), but I'm not any worse. Now this is at about a 6/10 or below. I haven't tried it while super baked.

I'd call the no negative BPI (brain power index -- their comparative system that indexes you against everyone else) from Cannabis use a nice little success. If it was damaging my cognition in any way I probably wouldn't be as big of a fan of Cannabis. Right now I honestly don't feel like it is.
What seems to damage my brain power the most is lack of sleep and having a day with a lot of stress/anxiety.

Any other lumosity members on here? If you aren't, I'd recommend getting a free (no cc) 2 week trial just for kicks. It's free but after that it's a monthly paid service. I have lifetime because I enjoy it.

 

[CentiZen]

I don't think I'll ever use lumosity.

One of the reasons are their commercials. They just make me want to gouge my eyes out.

The other reason, is that, contrary to what Lumosity states in their commercials - it is not based on any actual neuroscience. At all. There is not even anything close to resembling a scientific consensus on the validity or medical value of brain training in a clinical environment - let alone a self paced home program. In fact, it almost goes the other way, with some noted neuroscientists saying that the value provided by products like Brain Age or Lumosity is akin to doing a crossword puzzle or two a day.

So all the marketing about Lumosity just feeling like games but really training your brain is just that, marketing. It may or may not be improving your general mind performance, but if it is, than so is a sudoku. And those are free.

 

[Steele Concept]

CentiZen - I feel like you when I see their commercials.

Wanna work out your mind? Read a book, learn a martial art, research something. Invent some some shit, do a math problem etc.

I feel this stuff is marketing plain and simple. It makes me feel the same way as when I shop in a grocery store and see apples cut up and wrapped in some fancy package, or those new pistachios with the clean ass label. You guys know what I'm talking about?

Lol, not to be a playa hata. I have never tried luminosity or those brain game things and don't really intend to as that is my take on it.

 

[11eleven11]

Wanna work out your mind? Read a book, learn a martial art, research something. Invent some some shit, do a math problem etc.

I do those things too. I read a lot. I do other things to challenge my brain. Lumosity is only 1 tool I use to stay in the habit of working on my mind, which I think helps. And just a quick fyi, there are math problems in the games. I get what you are trying to point out though.

I'm aware of the distaste for their marketing and the jury still being out on their neuroplasticity claims and all. I saw people saying the same thing on reddit before I decided to try anyway. If this is really the case, then it's sad that they are using psuedo-science to market their games, as they're pretty fun and challenging anyway, and in my own personal experience I have found them helpful to me.

What I do believe is that doing reflexive, memory, mathematical, spatial awareness, and etc. exercises are healthy for the mind. It's an easy and fun way to do it, so I said why not. How is it a bad thing to exercise your memory, reaction time, awareness, and etc.? I think a brain that is not in the habit of doing stuff like that is not going to be as skilled as a brain that is when it comes to activities based around these types of things -- given 2 "equal" brains, if such a thing could be measured.

I do think their "BPI" is tough to measure, because a lot of the rise in your statistics isn't actually your brain improving, just your brain adjusting to the games and getting used to them -- like getting used to advanced controls in a video game, a learning curve. But I think once you pass the plateau of the learning curve there is improvement from there. There is to me from personal experience anyway, as I am better at solving harder and harder memory puzzles, for example.

One of the things I do for a living is trading, and I watch the market all day and also read trading books while I'm at it. I've noticed that when I warm up with lumosity, I start to feel really in the zone, and like I just took an adderall. I can focus on price action very well and stay focused reading my books easily after my lumosity because my brain feels "warmed up."

Honestly. I'm big on science and skepticism too, and I welcome it.

This is all my personal experience. I think you who are skeptical should just try it anyway for fun. It's actually pretty fun to try to beat your score.

Long story short: if this isn't doing anything for my brain, then why am I able to gradually get better and better at cognitive tasks, like memory for example? Besides the stats, I can clearly do harder memory games more easily than when I first started.

I think that is a legitimate question.

And honestly guys, thanks for the posts. Appreciate them and not trying to argue or anything -- just chatting.

Oh and I agree with you Centizen when you say there are free alternatives. I actually do enjoy their games though, and I didn't mind paying for it after I did the trial.

 

[Steele Concept]

Good points 11, I see you view it as fun exercises and derive pleasure from it rather than think it is something that is what they are marketing it as . I am sure by doing exercises they will improve memory and such and it is much better than sitting idle.

Meditation often helps me with the zenlike focus, I just have to get better at practicing regularly. I'm actually about to check out luminosity now to see if there is a free activity I can do on this here ipad, lol.

 

[11eleven11]

Yes, trying to beat your last score is actually pretty fun. To me anyway. I would still recommend it even for extreme skeptics. It's healthy entertainment at the very least. My friend has the iphone version from the app store. No clue how good that is.

Meditation is so damn good for you it's crazy. The practice of presence, and not letting future or past leech your mental energy is so important. I really need to get back into doing that before bed.

But wait! Why do that when you can join MEDOSITY!!??!

hehe

 

[Steele Concept]

Eh looks like you have to make an account... Well angry birds and masturbation it is

 

[Tweek]

I have a feeling that the only thing that website exercises, is your wallet.

 

[11eleven11]

Okay guys. I'll go play lumosity by myself then. It's cool.

haha