Hello! Welcome to
"Health for a Lifetime"
00:00:50.66\00:00:52.46
We're glad you're with us today,
00:00:52.49\00:00:53.72
and we're glad Dr.
Neil Nedley is with us...
00:00:53.75\00:00:56.49
And we're going to be talking
about some interesting things...
00:00:56.52\00:00:59.02
Welcome! Thank
you, good to be here.
00:00:59.06\00:01:00.67
Now you're a
physician, you deal with,
00:01:01.35\00:01:03.99
not only physical,
but also mental health...
00:01:04.00\00:01:06.02
You are an internal medicine
specialist but you've also
00:01:06.05\00:01:08.91
done work in the
area of mental health,
00:01:08.92\00:01:11.23
depression recovery, peak
mental performance. Correct
00:01:11.26\00:01:14.50
We're going to talk about some
studies that deal with that,
00:01:14.53\00:01:17.08
some studies that
deal with melatonin,
00:01:17.11\00:01:19.06
and, you know, REST and
these different kinds of things
00:01:19.09\00:01:21.41
So we're going to be updated
00:01:21.42\00:01:22.52
...Kind of the latest from
the, well, the current greatest,
00:01:22.55\00:01:26.03
if you will...
Yeah ... look at that
00:01:26.06\00:01:28.13
Actually, these will all be
studies that have been published
00:01:28.16\00:01:31.85
in 2008, or reported on.
00:01:31.88\00:01:34.59
Okay, the first one,
you know, is fascinating...
00:01:34.62\00:01:38.05
BAD GRADES... as
they're related to what's called
00:01:38.08\00:01:42.77
faulty memory or working memory
00:01:42.80\00:01:44.76
YES, in fact, we now
know that a person's IQ
00:01:44.79\00:01:50.25
And that is their ability to
00:01:50.28\00:01:53.87
learn, retain and
apply knowledge...
00:01:53.90\00:01:56.50
That's really what IQ is...
00:01:56.53\00:01:58.46
...is directly related to
an individual's working memory
00:01:58.49\00:02:03.32
Working
memory... So what's that?
00:02:03.35\00:02:04.87
Working memory is being
able to remember items or lists
00:02:04.90\00:02:12.00
and remember when you get
to the last part of the page
00:02:12.03\00:02:17.16
what you read at the
first part of the page.
00:02:17.19\00:02:19.31
And it is something...
you know, most people can
00:02:19.34\00:02:23.22
remember 3 to 5 items, but
really, it's their ability to
00:02:23.25\00:02:27.55
remember key points, and
then not only retain that,
00:02:27.58\00:02:31.11
but to be able to apply those
key points in what you learned
00:02:31.14\00:02:34.62
So, like a phone
number, or like, you know,
00:02:34.65\00:02:37.89
going to the grocery
store with 5 or 6 things?
00:02:37.92\00:02:41.38
That's right... if
it's more than that,
00:02:41.39\00:02:43.14
most people are going
to forget 1 or 2 items.
00:02:43.15\00:02:45.61
And so, of course, that's
when they actually copy down
00:02:45.64\00:02:48.66
a list, and they
have that list there.
00:02:48.69\00:02:51.56
So, let's say you have a
son or a daughter, or a relative
00:02:51.59\00:02:55.40
that you think has
poor working memory...
00:02:55.43\00:02:58.88
they are not doing so well...
00:02:58.91\00:03:02.17
Is it because they're lazy?
00:03:02.20\00:03:03.41
Is it because they're dumb?
00:03:03.44\00:03:06.34
No, not necessarily...
00:03:06.37\00:03:07.60
In fact, that's what
was thought of in yesteryear
00:03:07.63\00:03:09.69
...is that Johnny was just
lazy and thus, wasn't learning
00:03:09.72\00:03:13.32
Can't you remember anything I
tell you... that kind of stuff
00:03:13.35\00:03:15.39
...Wasn't reading
his history book, etc.
00:03:15.42\00:03:17.37
And he wasn't reading it because
by the time he got to the
00:03:17.38\00:03:20.04
end of the page, he couldn't
remember what was in the
00:03:20.07\00:03:22.00
first part of the page.
00:03:22.03\00:03:23.59
And each sentence he
read, replaced and erased
00:03:23.62\00:03:26.84
the sentence that he had before.
00:03:26.85\00:03:28.96
And so what he needs, is
to work on his working memory
00:03:28.99\00:03:33.04
And that can actually
significantly improve his IQ
00:03:33.07\00:03:36.51
and significantly
improve his success in life.
00:03:36.54\00:03:39.02
So how do you work
on your working memory?
00:03:39.05\00:03:40.64
Well, we have a graphic
that kind of illustrates this.
00:03:40.67\00:03:44.93
Working memory is
actually more important than IQ
00:03:44.96\00:03:49.86
as far as success...
00:03:49.89\00:03:50.87
And if you see that
gentleman there on the screen
00:03:50.88\00:03:53.29
there's a clue that he has
problems with his working memory
00:03:53.32\00:03:57.92
Those are like 64 clues there!
00:03:57.95\00:04:01.33
And this is an individual that,
at least he's working on it
00:04:01.36\00:04:06.03
You know, he's writing
it down, and he recognizes
00:04:06.06\00:04:09.20
he needs to have it there handy.
00:04:09.23\00:04:11.53
And that actually is
one of the keys of SUCCESS!
00:04:11.56\00:04:16.17
You know, you
asked... how do you work on it?
00:04:16.20\00:04:17.77
And one of the ways is
actually writing things down,
00:04:17.80\00:04:20.98
and then referring
back to those things
00:04:21.01\00:04:24.92
on a more frequent basis.
00:04:24.95\00:04:26.56
And that's item #1 as
far as how to work on it.
00:04:26.59\00:04:31.28
So, in other words,
don't say "I have a bad memory"
00:04:31.31\00:04:37.05
because, for some reason,
00:04:37.08\00:04:38.85
you can remember that
you can't remember well...
00:04:38.88\00:04:40.80
That's right... Right.
00:04:40.83\00:04:42.13
We're much more worried when
00:04:42.16\00:04:43.48
you can't remember and you don't
know that you can't remember.
00:04:43.51\00:04:48.10
That's right... so if
you're out there saying...
00:04:48.13\00:04:49.87
"Well, I know I
can't remember well"
00:04:49.90\00:04:51.73
Well how can you
remember that? Right? Exactly
00:04:51.76\00:04:54.25
So improving that...
00:04:54.28\00:04:55.26
Now, you know, one way of saying
that people can work on this
00:04:55.29\00:04:58.14
is through memorizing
like texts of Scripture...
00:04:58.17\00:05:01.73
I've noticed that you can
take these cards and you write
00:05:01.74\00:05:04.60
the date and the
verse on one thing,
00:05:04.63\00:05:07.78
and then you write on the back
00:05:07.81\00:05:08.91
In fact, there are
whole programs that have been
00:05:08.94\00:05:11.09
developed where you then
repeat that for like 3 months
00:05:11.12\00:05:16.18
every day and it goes
into your long-term memory
00:05:16.19\00:05:19.20
and, you know, an
evangelist or a pastor,
00:05:19.23\00:05:22.74
or someone that's
studying the Word of God
00:05:22.77\00:05:25.48
with people, they want
to recall all those texts
00:05:25.51\00:05:27.74
they're really working on their
working memory, aren't they?
00:05:27.77\00:05:29.74
Absolutely! In fact, Scripture
memorization is a great way to
00:05:29.77\00:05:31.70
In fact, Scripture
memorization is a great way to
00:05:31.74\00:05:33.95
improve your working memory.
00:05:33.98\00:05:35.75
Now, there's something
about Scripture memorization
00:05:35.78\00:05:38.14
that you need to be aware of...
00:05:38.17\00:05:39.65
and that is that
when you first try it,
00:05:39.68\00:05:42.62
if your working memory is poor,
00:05:42.63\00:05:44.95
you're going to think
that you're not going to be
00:05:44.98\00:05:46.61
successful at it.
00:05:46.64\00:05:47.97
It takes some time
to be successful...
00:05:48.00\00:05:50.27
And, you know, Don,
you mentioned 3 months...
00:05:50.30\00:05:52.37
But in reality, that's about
how long it takes before you can
00:05:52.40\00:05:56.86
REALLY start to progress.
00:05:56.89\00:05:58.47
Now, you'll be able to memorize
texts within those 3 months
00:05:58.50\00:06:01.49
But after the 3 months,
if you're working on those
00:06:01.52\00:06:04.15
programs of
Scripture memorization,
00:06:04.18\00:06:06.16
you'll be able to
memorize NEW texts
00:06:06.19\00:06:08.58
MUCH quicker,
MUCH faster... Why?
00:06:08.61\00:06:10.91
You're working
memory has expanded.
00:06:10.94\00:06:12.91
Some say another way to memorize
is to put something to music!
00:06:12.92\00:06:16.71
Yes, when we associate
things with something else
00:06:16.74\00:06:22.74
we actually remember it.
00:06:22.77\00:06:23.97
It's actually easier to remember
two things, than it is one
00:06:24.00\00:06:27.88
For instance, if
you are introduced to a
00:06:27.89\00:06:29.96
person named "Gary"
00:06:29.99\00:06:31.40
and you think
he's a little goofy,
00:06:31.43\00:06:33.81
to put "Goofy Gary" together,
00:06:33.84\00:06:37.07
you'll end up
remembering Gary's name more,
00:06:37.10\00:06:39.58
and you'll also
remember that he was goofy more
00:06:39.61\00:06:41.73
than if you just were
told one of those two things.
00:06:41.76\00:06:44.33
Or... "Notorious Neil,"
or "Dangerous Don," or...
00:06:44.36\00:06:48.52
whatever it is... so
you put the two together
00:06:48.55\00:06:50.41
You put two together, and that
00:06:50.44\00:06:51.60
actually helps
your working memory...
00:06:51.63\00:06:53.18
And music helps...
00:06:53.21\00:06:54.96
You know, that's why Scripture
was actually put to song
00:06:54.99\00:06:57.68
...You know David's Psalms
were actually written SONGS
00:06:57.71\00:07:01.99
Many of them were
anthems that were sung by choirs
00:07:02.02\00:07:05.20
to REMEMBER
these important words.
00:07:05.23\00:07:07.86
Yeah, you know, of course,
you don't want to maybe do that
00:07:07.89\00:07:10.00
when you're
going to the store...
00:07:10.03\00:07:11.15
You know, have a
song and you're singing...
00:07:11.18\00:07:12.78
"I need the tomatoes, potatoes
and the broccoli and lettuce"
00:07:12.81\00:07:15.93
But working memory...
00:07:15.96\00:07:17.08
Okay so, it's not just the
00:07:17.09\00:07:19.08
death knell...
you can work on it.
00:07:19.11\00:07:20.80
Of course, you
know, the other thing...
00:07:20.83\00:07:22.13
when you
mentioned Scripture memory,
00:07:22.16\00:07:24.23
if you do THAT,
then the Bible says...
00:07:24.26\00:07:27.17
that the Holy Spirit will help
BRING things to remembrance!
00:07:27.20\00:07:30.40
Yes! So that helps with that...
00:07:30.43\00:07:33.21
You know, one of the people in
my life that I know quite well
00:07:33.24\00:07:38.26
had lost all their short-term
memory basically through
00:07:38.29\00:07:41.09
what they were doing in life,
00:07:41.12\00:07:42.59
and now they memorize thousands
of texts from Scripture.
00:07:42.62\00:07:45.56
They rebuilt the hard drive. Yes
00:07:45.59\00:07:47.41
OR the RAM drive... the
short-term drive, I guess
00:07:47.44\00:07:51.36
Yeah, and you know,
some people in school...
00:07:51.39\00:07:54.85
for instance, those that
are having struggles, C, D's
00:07:54.88\00:07:57.64
By the way, there's a link
between working memory problems
00:07:57.67\00:08:00.04
and ADHD problems...
that's the primary problem with
00:08:00.07\00:08:02.51
many people with
ADHD. Is that right?
00:08:02.54\00:08:04.73
...Is their inability to be able
to have their working memory
00:08:04.74\00:08:09.76
up to par.
00:08:09.79\00:08:11.38
And so, if you take someone
with a working memory problem,
00:08:11.41\00:08:16.15
they're getting
C's, D's, F's in school
00:08:16.18\00:08:19.90
One of the key things that
they do that actually works
00:08:19.93\00:08:23.41
is to, you know, outline in
yellow, key points on a page
00:08:23.44\00:08:27.41
after you've read that page,
00:08:27.44\00:08:28.81
and then actually SPEAK
that into a tape recorder
00:08:28.84\00:08:32.70
And then, when you're
going around, listen to it back
00:08:32.73\00:08:35.78
and that can actually help
improve the working memory.
00:08:35.81\00:08:39.77
And instead of the
child just thinking that
00:08:39.80\00:08:41.83
they're dumb or stupid,
what they really ought to say is
00:08:41.86\00:08:45.35
I'm working on
expanding my working memory.
00:08:45.38\00:08:48.01
Ha, ha, ha... I see!
00:08:48.04\00:08:49.20
Yeah, so you know, some people
they see it... that's not enough
00:08:49.23\00:08:52.56
they need to LISTEN
to it. Ummm, you know...
00:08:52.59\00:08:55.68
That's right. I
don't know how you are, but
00:08:55.71\00:08:58.29
some people are just BETTER
00:08:58.32\00:08:59.78
I mean... anytime I hear
perhaps a sermon or something
00:08:59.81\00:09:04.17
I'll remember it MUCH BETTER
than if I just read it... Yeah
00:09:04.20\00:09:08.26
This was a study that
was done by Dr. Levine...
00:09:08.29\00:09:13.72
And by the way, you
know, we're having a lot of
00:09:13.75\00:09:16.48
Health for Lifetime
on recent health reports
00:09:16.51\00:09:18.64
I should mention, Don,
that they can login to the
00:09:18.67\00:09:21.95
"Nedley Health Report" and they
can get all this information
00:09:21.98\00:09:26.14
...So I know some people
are going to want to know
00:09:26.15\00:09:28.90
where each study is from...
"The Nedley Health Report"
00:09:28.93\00:09:31.97
and you can actually
logon and get that via email
00:09:32.00\00:09:34.99
...We keep you up-to-date every
month on new health information
00:09:35.02\00:09:40.24
So all these things we're
covering, you get a monthly
00:09:40.27\00:09:42.19
thing to help you remember
the most recent research.
00:09:42.22\00:09:45.61
Yeah... just Google
the "Nedley Health Report"
00:09:45.62\00:09:47.62
or logon to our
website drnedley. com or
00:09:47.65\00:09:50.25
doctornedley. com Okay...
00:09:50.28\00:09:52.14
And thank you for
that resource, by the way,
00:09:52.17\00:09:53.95
I get the "E-pistle" if
you will the e-mail every month
00:09:53.96\00:10:00.47
and, you know, fascinating,
but very useful FACTS to use
00:10:00.50\00:10:06.41
Facts that you can
apply in your daily life.
00:10:06.44\00:10:08.02
Well, we want to
look at another study...
00:10:08.05\00:10:09.23
Melatonin and light may
aid people with Alzheimer's
00:10:09.26\00:10:14.47
YES! And this highlights
that our health report actually
00:10:14.50\00:10:18.12
deals with young and old...
00:10:18.15\00:10:19.34
Working memory often tends
to be a problem with the young
00:10:19.37\00:10:22.50
and those who are not
going to be successful
00:10:22.53\00:10:25.38
that could be successful...
00:10:25.41\00:10:26.57
But this is now the
other side of life...
00:10:26.58\00:10:29.10
and that is
those who are elderly.
00:10:29.13\00:10:31.17
It turns out,
individuals with Alzheimer's,
00:10:31.20\00:10:33.96
or when they start to lose
their memory due to age-related
00:10:33.97\00:10:37.30
causes, tend to run
into sleep problems... Um hm
00:10:37.33\00:10:40.89
And they run into sleep problems
because they're not making
00:10:40.92\00:10:43.31
enough melatonin...
00:10:43.34\00:10:44.43
Some of the brain
changes have prevented them from
00:10:44.46\00:10:46.61
from making enough melatonin.
00:10:46.64\00:10:48.69
And they also run into
sleep problems because they tend
00:10:48.70\00:10:51.42
to be indoor
people at this point...
00:10:51.45\00:10:53.48
and not exposed to bright light.
00:10:53.51\00:10:56.11
And so, this research
actually was published
00:10:56.14\00:10:58.90
in the "Journal of the
American Geriatrics Society"
00:10:58.93\00:11:02.32
and was conducted
by Glenna Dowling of
00:11:02.35\00:11:04.24
of the University of
California in San Francisco
00:11:04.27\00:11:07.52
and was published in March,
2008 ... So what do you do?
00:11:07.55\00:11:11.84
What do you do to get this back?
00:11:12.77\00:11:15.56
Well, what they did is,
they did a nice controlled study
00:11:15.59\00:11:18.45
and they took these
Alzheimer's, or people who had
00:11:18.48\00:11:21.37
lost their memory...
00:11:21.40\00:11:22.78
Actually, they were all
diagnosed with Alzheimer's...
00:11:22.81\00:11:25.21
...And they exposed
them to bright light.
00:11:25.24\00:11:29.05
They either got them outdoors,
out of their nursing home,
00:11:29.08\00:11:32.32
or out of their
home TO be exposed to the
00:11:32.35\00:11:36.17
natural bright light...
00:11:36.20\00:11:37.35
Or they had
actually artificial light
00:11:37.38\00:11:39.52
come in that simulates it...
00:11:39.56\00:11:40.77
There are light boxes that
simulate the same wavelength
00:11:40.80\00:11:43.94
It's not like a
camera flash or something...
00:11:43.97\00:11:45.55
Not a camera
flash... SUSTAINED LIGHT!
00:11:45.58\00:11:47.86
Sustained light for
1 hour in the morning.
00:11:47.89\00:11:50.13
OH, 1 hour... Yes, preferably
within 10 minutes of awakening.
00:11:50.17\00:11:53.99
RIGHT AFTER YOU GET OUT
OF BED when you're saying
00:11:54.66\00:11:56.38
"Oww, don't turn the lights
on ... TURN THE LIGHTS ON!
00:11:56.41\00:11:58.63
That's right... and you
can do other things, you know
00:11:58.66\00:12:00.65
...you can read,
you can talk to people
00:12:00.68\00:12:02.17
Your eyes are being
exposed to that light...
00:12:02.20\00:12:05.20
And THEN, in the EVENING,
because their brain makes
00:12:05.23\00:12:09.21
less melatonin, they were
given a melatonin supplement.
00:12:09.24\00:12:12.84
And the best way to take
that melatonin supplement is
00:12:12.87\00:12:15.45
actually to put it
under your tongue...
00:12:15.48\00:12:17.15
you absorb it better, and it's
better than swallowing melatonin
00:12:17.18\00:12:21.92
And when they did those 2 things
00:12:21.93\00:12:23.83
they found out
that they significantly
00:12:23.86\00:12:26.48
stayed awake better...
00:12:26.52\00:12:27.65
They were more
alert in the daytime...
00:12:27.68\00:12:29.23
and they slept better at night.
00:12:29.26\00:12:30.89
Instead of having
the sundowner syndrome,
00:12:30.92\00:12:33.34
that many
Alzheimer patients have...
00:12:33.37\00:12:35.01
where they get up in
the middle of the night,
00:12:35.04\00:12:36.65
and they think it's daytime...
00:12:36.68\00:12:38.76
Or they get confused in
the middle of the night...
00:12:38.77\00:12:40.57
sometimes even get
combative, and confused...
00:12:40.60\00:12:45.18
THAT went away!
00:12:45.19\00:12:46.51
And, their daytime
alertness improved.
00:12:46.54\00:12:49.56
So, it doesn't
reverse their Alzheimer's,
00:12:49.57\00:12:51.94
but it does normalize their
00:12:51.95\00:12:53.52
wake/sleep cycle... is
that what you're saying?
00:12:53.56\00:12:56.08
It does, and it also,
actually by doing that,
00:12:56.12\00:12:58.61
improves their
mental performance.
00:12:58.64\00:13:00.36
So, it doesn't get rid
of the tangles in the brain,
00:13:00.39\00:13:04.69
but the area of the brain
that doesn't have tangles,
00:13:04.72\00:13:08.18
works better.
00:13:08.21\00:13:09.29
And so, in essence,
it's like taking a powerful
00:13:09.32\00:13:13.79
medicine for Alzheimer disease,
00:13:13.82\00:13:15.17
...actually better than
medicine for Alzheimer's
00:13:15.21\00:13:18.27
We're talking
with Dr. Neil Nedley
00:13:18.30\00:13:20.58
We're talking about the research
here that can really help you.
00:13:20.61\00:13:24.59
We've talked about
short-term memory...
00:13:24.62\00:13:25.85
We've talked about
light sleep cycles and
00:13:25.88\00:13:28.91
getting your melatonin.
00:13:28.94\00:13:30.08
When we come back,
we're going to talk about
00:13:30.09\00:13:31.84
how dangerous it is to
take an early retirement...
00:13:31.87\00:13:34.40
and other fascinating studies
00:13:34.43\00:13:36.43
So join us when we come back.
00:13:36.46\00:13:38.43