Does thinking burn more calories than not thinking? - GoFuckYourself.com

Sly · 10-15-2006, 07:59 PM

Kind of curious, haven't been able to find anything, maybe the health buffs can answer.

If you spend all day deep in mental thought (research, writing, math, work, etc) do you burn more calories than if you sat around watching TV all day? And if not, why are you so much more tired after the day of thinking than the day without?

marketsmart · 10-15-2006, 08:24 PM

thats not exactly true, if you spend all day on the sofa watching tv you will be tired at the end of the day too...

squishypimp · 10-15-2006, 08:25 PM

i think both are mental stimulants, therefore both would burn the same amount of calories (if thinking did burn calories)

notabook · 10-15-2006, 08:27 PM

I doubt it, unless the mental thoughts were to make you extremely anxious and sped up your heart rate/increases your body temperature/etc.

GrouchyAdmin · 10-15-2006, 08:28 PM

No. Same idea as 'don't eat late, you won't burn the calories as you sleep'. See Snopes.

woj · 10-15-2006, 08:37 PM

probably burns more, but not significantly more than non-thinking... if just living uses 20 calories per hour, living and thinking, perhaps 25/calories per hour...

fuzzylogic · 10-15-2006, 08:48 PM

i believe it does.
more neurons are triggering and new connections are being formed. that requires energy.
staring at a tv does not stimulate the brain much at all.

to answer ur question look for brain activity research (brain scans and stuff) during certain activities instead of looking up calories burned.

more activity=more calories

Mr Pheer · 10-15-2006, 08:57 PM

does breathing burn more calories than not breathing?

reynold · 10-15-2006, 10:56 PM

Sitting or watching movies doesn't burn much calories at all. Mental stress can be very tiring though.

10-15-2006, 07:59 PM	#1
Sly Let's do some business! Industry Role: Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 31,340	Does thinking burn more calories than not thinking? Kind of curious, haven't been able to find anything, maybe the health buffs can answer. If you spend all day deep in mental thought (research, writing, math, work, etc) do you burn more calories than if you sat around watching TV all day? And if not, why are you so much more tired after the day of thinking than the day without? __________________ Vacares - Web Hosting, Domains, O365, Security & More - Paxum and BTC Accepted Windows VPS now available Great for TSS, Nifty Stats, remote work, virtual assistants, etc. Click here for more details.

10-15-2006, 08:25 PM	#3
squishypimp PostMaster General Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 10,781	i think both are mental stimulants, therefore both would burn the same amount of calories (if thinking did burn calories) __________________ Signature For Sale

10-15-2006, 08:27 PM	#4
notabook Confirmed User Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Not a Library! Posts: 9,748	I doubt it, unless the mental thoughts were to make you extremely anxious and sped up your heart rate/increases your body temperature/etc. __________________

10-15-2006, 08:28 PM	#5
GrouchyAdmin Now choke yourself! Industry Role: Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 12,085	No. Same idea as 'don't eat late, you won't burn the calories as you sleep'. See Snopes. __________________ AIM: GrouchyGfy

10-15-2006, 08:37 PM	#6
woj <&(©¿©)&> Industry Role: Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Chicago Posts: 47,882	probably burns more, but not significantly more than non-thinking... if just living uses 20 calories per hour, living and thinking, perhaps 25/calories per hour... __________________ Custom Software Development, email: woj#at#wojfun#.#com to discuss details or skype: wojl2000 or gchat: wojfun or telegram: wojl2000 Affiliate program tools: Hosted Galleries Manager Banner Manager Video Manager Wordpress Affiliate Plugin Pic/Movie of the Day Fansign Generator Zip Manager

10-15-2006, 08:24 PM	#2
marketsmart HOMICIDAL TROLL KILLER Industry Role: Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Sunnybrook Institution for the Criminally Insane Posts: 20,419	thats not exactly true, if you spend all day on the sofa watching tv you will be tired at the end of the day too...

10-15-2006, 08:48 PM	#7
fuzzylogic Confirmed User Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: buffalo, las vegas. icq: 285808879 Posts: 4,796	i believe it does. more neurons are triggering and new connections are being formed. that requires energy. staring at a tv does not stimulate the brain much at all. to answer ur question look for brain activity research (brain scans and stuff) during certain activities instead of looking up calories burned. more activity=more calories

10-15-2006, 08:57 PM	#8
Mr Pheer Too lazy to set a custom title Industry Role: Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 21,471	does breathing burn more calories than not breathing?

10-15-2006, 10:56 PM	#9
reynold Too lazy to set a custom title Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Global Traveler Posts: 51,271	Sitting or watching movies doesn't burn much calories at all. Mental stress can be very tiring though.