

Glucose Is Not Willpower Fuel (2011) - Quiark
http://www.epjournal.net/blog/2011/08/glucose-is-not-willpower-fuel/

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erikb
More interesting would be what is!

What I know: I will pursue harder tasks after consuming Sucrose and caffeine,
while without consuming these unhealthy resources I might not. Also, Glucose
availability to the brain is not really related to either consumption, though,
afaik.

Would be happy about what others have found, especially from people with a
more scientific approach than mine.

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daymanstep
erikb: It's well known that stimulants improve concentration. That is how
Adderall works. Taking stimulants will certainly make it possible for you to
do mentally more demanding tasks requiring concentration, but so does things
like exercise.

If you check out the procrastination equation, it describes several factors
that we know affect whether if we do work or not. These are: impulsivity
(personal character), expectancy x value (how enjoyable the task is) and
delay. Basically taking stimulants makes a task more enjoyable (easier) and
thus you are more likely to do it.

What the popular conception of "willpower" is more like something that acts
against impulsivity or reduces it (at least temporarily). The equation does
not contain such a variable and I don't think there's any evidence for the
existence of such a thing.

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rikkus
I've found glucose is almost the opposite of willpower. If I do physical
activity while there's sugar in my system, I feel unmotivated and sluggish.

