Bodyhacks

June 16, 2008 10:39 AM

I am looking for experiments, useful tricks, and fun things to try out, using my biological cycles, chemistry and anatomy.

I recently reset my day/night cycle to combat jet lag after a long flight using information from this thread and knowledge of my circadian rhythm and the experience was SUPER satisfying to me. Whenever I need to sneeze and don't want to at that moment, I can get rid of it by pressing my tongue into my soft pallet, interfering with some facial nerve, I suppose. I am eager to try out other bodyhacks but I can't think of any more.

I found this article on Men'sHealth.com which has some good stuff in it but not quite what I am looking for.

I am most interested in: the useful, complex, or grand, along the lines of clock reseting
I am less interested in, but am open to: gimmicky tricks of the anatomy, along the lines of the sneeze example.

I am willing to use: supplements (used melatonin to help reset my clock), diet, my environs, and of course, my senses, anatomy and anything in it.
I am not willing to use: illegal drugs, anything I have to spend a lot of money on, ideally I should already possess everything I need to do it

I am female so if you know of any that are gender specific I will only be able to do things that require two X chromosomes. But feel free to contribute XY suggestions for the sake of completeness.

If you have suggestions, please also give the scientific explanation of how it works.

posted by bobobox to science & nature (11 answers total)

You can detect ovulation by measuring basal body temperature.
posted by phrontist at 10:58 AM on June 16, 2008

You can stop brain freeze by rubbing your tongue into the soft palate, as far back as your tongue can reach.
posted by 8dot3 at 11:28 AM on June 16, 2008

How about Polyphasic Sleep?
posted by crios at 11:30 AM on June 16, 2008

You should practice diaphragmatic breathing. It's helpful in all kinds of ways and situations. You could start meditating too.

You could try to figure out if you're a tetrachromat, which could be advantageous.
posted by gauchodaspampas at 12:02 PM on June 16, 2008

You could learn circular breathing, which would then allow you to play the digeridoo or impress small children by blowing bubbles through a straw for... well, as long as it takes to impress them.
posted by vytae at 12:16 PM on June 16, 2008 [2 favorites]

Find out here if you're a supertaster.
posted by fiercecupcake at 12:34 PM on June 16, 2008 [1 favorite]

I read somewhere on Metafilter once that looking upwards can help you stop crying and have been surprised to find that it works. Have no idea what the biological theory is, if any, but it feels like a short circuit of the physical/mental feedback loop that can happen when you're stressed/frustrated/emotional.
posted by yarrow at 12:57 PM on June 16, 2008 [3 favorites]

Thanks everyone!
I know about the body temp/ovulation relation but that reminds me I need to start keeping track. Polyphasic sleep sounds especially exciting to me and breathing is always good to explore.

Apparently I am a supertaster and my color vision is damn good, if I say so myself (I used to mix paint to match old samples as part of a job), but is there no way to test for tetrachromacy? Holy superpowers, Batman, what do I do now?
posted by bobobox at 1:01 PM on June 16, 2008

Find out if you're sensitive to the high pitch that electronics often emit. It sounds like a very high ringing/whining noise... kind of like a superpower, in that you could hear if a TV is on in another room even if it's muted.
posted by Solon and Thanks at 8:51 PM on June 16, 2008 [1 favorite]

I don't know if this is exactly what you're looking for, but what about learning to have lucid dreams?
posted by cider at 8:50 AM on June 17, 2008

Next time you have a naked guy available, try this:

Make him stand with his feet at shoulder distance and slowly stroke his inner thigh upwards with your finger or a pencil. The testicle on that side will lift as if it was scared of you, and it looks really funny. You can repeat it one or two times before it gets the joke.
posted by springload at 1:38 PM on June 19, 2008