[cljacoby]

I'm 29 years old, and I have definitely noticed my memory getting worse over the last ~5 years. I've always wondered if this is something to do with sleep deprivation, increased stress from work/school, or just the natural effects of getting older.

[xcv123]

Try doing a 24 hour water fast. It will feel awful during the fast, but you may notice your mind is sharper the next day after a good sleep. Cleans out the cobwebs at a cellular level (autophagy). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3106288/

EDIT: I'm getting rate limited so cannot reply to the comment below.

Water fast means only drinking water. Tea or coffee is acceptable if black (meaning without milk or sugar).

"Water fasting is a type of fast during which you're not allowed to consume anything except water."

I would never do a fast that cuts out water/liquids. That is stupid.

[nine_k]

This works, I corroborate.

The problem is not a lack of will or capability to sleep for 8 hours a day. It's usually the lack of ability to allocate 8 hours, because of various commitments and other circumstances.

(It's like telling a poor guy to start saving some money. While it's technically absolutely correct, the problem is usually not the lack of the desire to have savings.)

[catoc]

“Try doing a 24 hour water fast”

In the referenced study water was available ad libitum.

It’s food that was restricted, for 24-48 hours, that promoted beneficial cellular autophagy in mice.

[Longer (“chronic”) fasting was detrimental (in rats, further removed from humans; (and not examined in that paper, just referenced))]

[This is why I like HN, replies backed up with literature references to further meaningful interpretation and discussion #ThumbsUp!)

EDIT: TIL: a “water fast” is not fasting on water but on food… with ample water…. should be called a “water feast”

[LtWorf]

How to die with one simple trick!

[darajava]

Fasting is incredibly well tolerated and good for you. The longest a person has gone without food was about 380 days (Angus Barberi)

[LtWorf]

Read before comment? He said to "water fast", which I presume means not drink.

[darajava]

Water fasting means only drinking water. A dry fast is no water, no food. An absolute dry fast is no water, no food, no showers. A 24 hour dry fast won't kill a healthy person - but I wouldn't advise it.

[MR_Bulldops]

"I presume." There is a famous saying about assumptions that applies to you.

[Dalewyn]

Given no knowledge beforehand, "water fast" can mean either of two things:

* You only consume water.

* You consume anything but water.

Both understandings can be inferred at face value, but only one is correct.

I too understood this as the latter before subsequent comments specified it is the former, and the name isn't even accurate since apparently consuming tea or black coffee is also acceptable.

Using as few words as possible is often the hallmark of a talented orator, but sometimes it pays off to be verbose and specific.

[xcv123]

Most people browsing HN would survive 1 - 2 months without food. 24 hours is nothing. Your pot belly has a spare 50,000 calories.

[LtWorf]

If you read the comment. He said to "water fast", not just skip food, which would be probably fine.

Also, not everyone is obese. For not obese active people, it might not be the best.

[xcv123]

I didn't read the comment. I wrote the comment.

Water Fast means only drinking water. Standard terminology. You can verify that with a quick Google search.

1 - 2 month survival estimate is for an ordinary person. If you're obese then you can survive up to a year without food.

For an ordinary person in reasonably good health, a 24 hour water fast only provides health benefits. Up to 3 days of water fasting is beneficial. I wouldn't recommend any longer than that.

The more frequently you fast, the easier it gets. Your body adapts to burning stored fat as fuel and the hormonal hunger triggers become less severe. I've reached the stage where 24 hours is easy.

[LtWorf]

> Standard terminology

I'm sorry I'm not born within 200km from you and I don't speak the same dialect -_-'

Clearly entirely my fault…

[asveikau]

My experience from an increasingly long time ago was that starting at around age 24 (which was ~5 years ago for you), I got worse at staying up late or going with little sleep. I would try to pull all nighters for work, and it would absolutely kill me, whereas younger than that I could do it.