Naked Science Forum
General Science => General Science => Topic started by: neilep on 03/06/2014 12:58:53
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Dearest Chewinggumologists,
As a sheepy I of course luff to chew gum. It's all I think about from the moment I awake to the instant I go to bed !! yup, chewing gum monopolises my every waking moment.
look , here I am blowing a bubble:
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Me Chewing gum just moments ago !!
Whilst I spend all my day chewing gum I often contemplate , deliberate and cogitate. I'm usually pondering about such significant things like the nature of the universe where the juiciest patch of grass is. Important, I'm sure ewe will agree.
So, does chewing gum actually help me concentrate ?
whajafink ?
If ewe can help me understand the nature of chewing gum and concentration I will come and share my gum with ewe !!
hugs et les shmishes
mwah mwah mwah !!!
Neil
Executive Officer In Charge Of Chewing Gum
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I've been interested in this general topic for more than 30 years.
It seems to me that in humans, gum chewing is an arousing activity, and that one chew leads into more chewing, and enough of an arousal set of stimuli to keep the organism chewing, even when the gum has lost its flavor. Also, probably, keeps the organism awake and looking for more material to chew, or swallow.
The activity of the jaws in sucking is very, very similar to that of chewing - open and close, open and close, and this leads to the baby staying awake long enough to finish his/her nutrition.
If I were God (but our cat knows that I'm just the guy that gets the cat food), I would design into humans (and many other animals) a chewing response that would lead to arousal (wakefulness) and further chewing (or sucking). Many ruminants have to chew, chew, chew, chew to get any nutrition from their food -- e.g., grasses, leaves, etc. For them, chewing as an arousing response would appear to me to be a "big deal."
Related to this, seems to me that other arousing responses in humans of a non-drug sort are: flaring the nostrils, opening the eyes wide (opening the palpebral fissure), assuming a straight-up or learning forward posture, etc.
My two cents on this, but I would be surprised if I were wrong. (On the other hand, I've been surprised before.) And thanks for letting me vent on this interesting behavior!
Yours,
Caleb
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I've been interested in this general topic for more than 30 years.
It seems to me that in humans, gum chewing is an arousing activity, and that one chew leads into more chewing, and enough of an arousal set of stimuli to keep the organism chewing, even when the gum has lost its flavor. Also, probably, keeps the organism awake and looking for more material to chew, or swallow.
The activity of the jaws in sucking is very, very similar to that of chewing - open and close, open and close, and this leads to the baby staying awake long enough to finish his/her nutrition.
If I were God (but our cat knows that I'm just the guy that gets the cat food), I would design into humans (and many other animals) a chewing response that would lead to arousal (wakefulness) and further chewing (or sucking). Many ruminants have to chew, chew, chew, chew to get any nutrition from their food -- e.g., grasses, leaves, etc. For them, chewing as an arousing response would appear to me to be a "big deal."
Related to this, seems to me that other arousing responses in humans of a non-drug sort are: flaring the nostrils, opening the eyes wide (opening the palpebral fissure), assuming a straight-up or learning forward posture, etc.
My two cents on this, but I would be surprised if I were wrong. (On the other hand, I've been surprised before.) And thanks for letting me vent on this interesting behavior!
Yours,
Caleb
Gosh !..Thank ewe very much Caleb for your well informed response.
I also wonder if there is a chemical response in the body when chewing that aids one to concentrate. Does chewing activate stuff like adrenalin and endorphin type stuff ?
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hmmmm... something to ruminate on...
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hmmmm... something to ruminate on...
lol !
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As I don't have any gum, I am finding it difficult to concentrate on this question. One thing I do know about chewing gum is that it makes me hungry. It stimulates the old gob into making lots of saliva which seems to send a signal to the tummy that grub is on its way. But, of course, it isn't. Because I feel so hungry, I loose concentration, all I can think about is nice bacon roll.
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My best guess is that since it stimulates the mind, the brain will function better.
Additionally, I see the act of chewing gum to possess a sort of meditative quality to it. More specifically, the repetitive motion might help facilitate concentration.
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It works for me!
But my dentist warns that if you chew for several hours, that constitutes several days of wear on your teeth.
Sheep spend most of the day chewing, and progressively lose their teeth (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheep#Description_and_evolution) from about 4 years old.
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My best guess is that since it stimulates the mind, the brain will function better.
Additionally, I see the act of chewing gum to possess a sort of meditative quality to it. More specifically, the repetitive motion might help facilitate concentration.
I don't know if repetitive motion helps thought or concentration, but I definitely find myself stroking my beard or twirling my hair when deep in thought...