"Sleep . . . organiz[es] . . . and keep[s] permanent newly learned skills and memories."

Thanks to Robert Wenzel

This was a terrific presentation.  His steps for learning new material was pretty good.  So was his 6 Steps to a Better Memory.

What follows are my notes from the presentation:

Cortisol stops all neurons from developing.  Coritsol is that hormone that we produce when we're stressed out, injured, or cannot sleep.  If your work situation is producing any of these and your coworkers enjoy watching you being stressed out, it's probably not a good idea to remain at that foul and fetid place.  Stress decreases the hippocampus.  Wow.  So it literally shrinks your brain. That was interesting and horrible.  

Be aware of how you react to stress.  Avoid counterproductive stress. Good advice but I wonder how much of this is a constant in everybody's work week.  Exercise and sleep both combat sleep.  True that, true that.  

Why is sleep so important?  Sleep is where the brain reviews and organizes things that happened to your in your day.  It's where the excess and unessential things gets discarded.  Part of a dialogue between your hippocampus and cerebral cortex and the rest of the brain where all of the new information and skills are stored.  If you don't sleep, then all of the new things you learn will be gone tomorrow.  Consolidate new information with good sleep.  Helps to keep your memories permanent. Sleep disruptions are common in aging and disease.  It's why we see memory impairments.  Even a short afternoon naps can improve memory retention. Stabilizing, organizing, optimizing, and keeping permanent newly learned skills and memories.  be helpful for beginning to consolidate new information.  

Socializing is important.  Friends help fill in gaps in memory.  They can also reassure us that we are young at heart.

Living alone doubles the risk for dementia markers.  Why are other people good for us?  Be with people who don't cause us stress.  Talking, interacting, having a conversation, all of this keeps us healthy and alive.

Friends are part of what keeps our memories young.

Eat light and healthy.  Ah, yes.  Food remedies.  Eat light and healthy.  Couldn't be more accurate!

1.  Exercise regularly.

2.  Keep mentally active.  

3.  Avoid unproductive stress.

4.  Get a good night's sleep.

5.  Socialize with others.  For those people who cause you stress, either keep interaction with them to a minimum, remove yourself completely, or give it back to them good and hard.

6.  Eat light and healthy.

His point about avoiding saturated fats and high cholesterol foods is flat out wrong.  This is part of the standard American commercial diet.  Truth is that saturated fats and high cholesterol foods are not only healthy for you but essential in fighting disease and aging, the two factors he mentions earlier that impair sleep.  Cholesterol fights inflammation.  It is vital for life.  Coconut oil and coconut butter, a saturated fat, is awesome for health.  See Dr. Mary Enig for thorough reviews on its benefits. One heart surgeon told me that he takes 2 teaspoons of coconut oil every morning for heart health. Not only does coconut oil fortify the heart, it also helps your kidneys function better.  What is not to like!!