Lumifer comments on AALWA: Ask any LessWronger anything - Less Wrong

28 Post author: Will_Newsome 12 January 2014 02:18AM

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Comment author: Lumifer 12 January 2014 07:28:36PM 26 points [-]

The problem I have is that measuring causes panic about the expected result, which increases the blood pressure. Then if the result turns out to be very high, as expected, the panic increases and the next measurement turns out even higher.

Measure every hour. Or every ten minutes. Your hormonal system can't sustain the panic state for long, plus seeing high values and realizing that you are not dead yet will desensitize you to these high values.

Comment author: fubarobfusco 12 January 2014 08:16:00PM 8 points [-]

As someone who's had both high blood pressure and excessive worrying — I second this advice.