39 lines
2.6 KiB
Markdown
39 lines
2.6 KiB
Markdown
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title = "Trying out some brain supplements"
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author = ["Phil Bajsicki"]
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publishDate = 2022-11-18T00:00:00+01:00
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lastmod = 2024-09-26T00:37:12+02:00
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tags = ["supplements", "nootropics"]
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categories = ["mind"]
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draft = false
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meta = true
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[menu]
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[menu.posts]
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weight = 3006
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identifier = "trying-out-some-brain-supplements"
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As a person working in a high-speed, high-attention and multifaceted environment (currently working as an Executive Assistant, soon starting a new job in Quality Assurance), I am changing contexts all the time.
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Changing contexts means shifting from one task (e.g. taking notes in a meeting) to another (e.g. fixing scheduling issues) to another (e.g. preparing for the next meeting), where the tasks are disconnected and involve different relationships, thoughts, information, and priority.
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Over the past 6 months, this has taken a large toll on my ability to focus - and in many ways, my mental health. It takes _a lot_ of mental effort to go from thinking about one thing to another. Particularly when it happens multiple times each hour, often multiple times in the span of a few minutes.
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So I've been ending each day feeling fried, unable to even conceive of doing anything else that day. I don't like being tired and feeling useless.
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A close friend pointed me to some supplements that should help my focus. I started on them today, and here's my thoughts after just 5 hours or so. L-Theanine and Alpha GPC kick in quickly, thus the notes.
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- L-Theanine (200mg): super good, the effects are subtle yet noticable. I found my body much more comfortable to control, and a lot of the muscle tension seems to have faded.
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- Lion's Mane (500mg, extract): Haven't noticed anything that I could attribute to it yet. Supposedly it takes a while to build up, around two weeks.
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- Alpha GPC (300mg): very nice. My focus and executive function appears to have improved dramatically (compared to _my_ normal). I feel like switching tasks isn't as difficult. If I didn't know that I had taken it, I would just think that I'm randomly having a really good day, so the effect isn't immediately obvious.
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Now, I don't know if those effects are as I attributed them. Compared to my average day, I do feel significantly more focused and able to stay on track with multiple things at once. So that's good. But do bear in mind that every brain is different - some are sensitive to one thing, and not another.
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Whether this will take a permanent place in my day-to-day routine is TBD. I do plan on staying on this regimen for at least a month or two, and determine if it's worth it then.
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In any case...
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[Join the FSF.](https://my.fsf.org/join)
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