1
00:00:03,560 --> 00:00:05,720
Speaker 1: Hello Sunshine, Hey Bessies.

2
00:00:05,760 --> 00:00:08,440
Speaker 2: Today on the bright Side, we're talking with doctor Wendy

3
00:00:08,520 --> 00:00:12,559
Speaker 2: Suzuki about how exercise doesn't just make you happier and healthier,

4
00:00:12,680 --> 00:00:14,360
Speaker 2: it actually changes your brain.

5
00:00:15,040 --> 00:00:18,439
Speaker 1: Ask yourself, what can I do for my brain today

6
00:00:18,680 --> 00:00:21,200
Speaker 1: to benefit the rest of my life.

7
00:00:21,600 --> 00:00:24,520
Speaker 2: It's Wednesday, November thirteenth. I'm Simone Boyce.

8
00:00:25,040 --> 00:00:27,440
Speaker 3: I'm Danielle Robe and this is the bright Side from

9
00:00:27,520 --> 00:00:30,440
Speaker 3: Hello Sunshine, a daily show where we come together to

10
00:00:30,480 --> 00:00:34,240
Speaker 3: share women's stories, to laugh, learn and brighten your day.

11
00:00:34,960 --> 00:00:38,920
Speaker 2: Today's Wellness Wednesday is presented by Coligard.

12
00:00:40,320 --> 00:00:43,800
Speaker 3: Okay, Simone, It's Wellness Wednesday, and today we're joined by

13
00:00:43,960 --> 00:00:49,760
Speaker 3: a neuroscientist. Doctor Wendy Suzuki is amazing. She's a professor

14
00:00:49,800 --> 00:00:54,240
Speaker 3: of neuroscience and psychology at NYU, specializing in brain plasticity,

15
00:00:54,280 --> 00:00:58,600
Speaker 3: which is the amazing ability that our brains have to

16
00:00:58,720 --> 00:01:01,920
Speaker 3: change over time, and her research explores how we can

17
00:01:01,920 --> 00:01:06,080
Speaker 3: build positive habits to ensure that those changes benefit us

18
00:01:06,120 --> 00:01:07,600
Speaker 3: in real, lasting ways.

19
00:01:08,120 --> 00:01:10,480
Speaker 2: Danielle, you got to talk to doctor Suzuki when I

20
00:01:10,560 --> 00:01:13,320
Speaker 2: was away, and I have been so curious to hear

21
00:01:13,360 --> 00:01:17,160
Speaker 2: this interview. I think as someone who prioritizes exercise in

22
00:01:17,160 --> 00:01:19,600
Speaker 2: my own life. I've always been aware of the positive

23
00:01:19,680 --> 00:01:22,360
Speaker 2: benefits of working out. I think we all are at

24
00:01:22,360 --> 00:01:27,480
Speaker 2: this point. It's essential for our well being, our physical body,

25
00:01:27,680 --> 00:01:30,759
Speaker 2: our heart. I'm excited to learn about the health benefits

26
00:01:30,760 --> 00:01:32,720
Speaker 2: of exercise on our brain, though.

27
00:01:32,959 --> 00:01:36,399
Speaker 3: Simone, I have been thinking about this interview since we

28
00:01:36,520 --> 00:01:39,240
Speaker 3: recorded it. I go to the gym Monday, Wednesday Friday

29
00:01:39,360 --> 00:01:42,039
Speaker 3: in the morning before the show, and I have to

30
00:01:42,080 --> 00:01:45,120
Speaker 3: tell you I shared everything I learned with all the

31
00:01:45,160 --> 00:01:49,280
Speaker 3: people at the gym. I taught everybody about a fluffy hippocampus.

32
00:01:49,600 --> 00:01:51,720
Speaker 3: So you're going to hear this term she uses in

33
00:01:51,800 --> 00:01:54,880
Speaker 3: our conversation, and I hope it's as memorable for you

34
00:01:54,960 --> 00:01:58,960
Speaker 3: as it was for me. A fluffy hippocampus. Okay, let's

35
00:01:58,960 --> 00:02:04,080
Speaker 3: get into it. Here's my conversation with doctor Wendy Suzuki. Okay,

36
00:02:04,120 --> 00:02:07,280
Speaker 3: doctor Suzuki. We all know that exercise is good for

37
00:02:07,360 --> 00:02:11,160
Speaker 3: our bodies. I'm actually wearing exercise clothes right now. All right,

38
00:02:12,680 --> 00:02:15,840
Speaker 3: But you've discovered that it's actually one of the most

39
00:02:15,840 --> 00:02:19,200
Speaker 3: powerful tools that we have for our brains. Yes, what

40
00:02:19,440 --> 00:02:23,040
Speaker 3: was the moment that you realized just how transformative exercise

41
00:02:23,080 --> 00:02:25,600
Speaker 3: could be not just for the body, but for the mind.

42
00:02:26,400 --> 00:02:32,360
Speaker 1: Yeah. So I had first become a lab rat in

43
00:02:32,440 --> 00:02:35,240
Speaker 1: my own lab, only working trying to get ten your

44
00:02:35,600 --> 00:02:38,520
Speaker 1: very stressful process. And I decided I was only going

45
00:02:38,560 --> 00:02:40,880
Speaker 1: to work and I ate a lot of takeout, and

46
00:02:40,919 --> 00:02:44,320
Speaker 1: I worked and worked and worked, and I was not

47
00:02:44,480 --> 00:02:49,079
Speaker 1: very happy, and I was not socially engaged beyond the

48
00:02:49,120 --> 00:02:52,600
Speaker 1: people in my lab. And I did give myself a

49
00:02:52,680 --> 00:02:55,480
Speaker 1: vacation and I went on a river rafting trip and

50
00:02:56,840 --> 00:02:59,680
Speaker 1: I discovered nature again and it was wonderful. And they

51
00:02:59,680 --> 00:03:04,560
Speaker 1: were all these triathletes on the trip, and it inspired

52
00:03:04,600 --> 00:03:07,240
Speaker 1: me to go back to the gym because being outside

53
00:03:07,400 --> 00:03:11,400
Speaker 1: we were in Peru, it was so beautiful. And I said,

54
00:03:11,440 --> 00:03:13,799
Speaker 1: I need more of this in my life. And I

55
00:03:13,840 --> 00:03:17,840
Speaker 1: went back to the gym and it stuck. I enjoyed it.

56
00:03:18,080 --> 00:03:20,480
Speaker 1: I didn't love it at first, but I could feel

57
00:03:20,560 --> 00:03:22,959
Speaker 1: that this is what I needed. And a year and

58
00:03:23,000 --> 00:03:25,839
Speaker 1: a half later, the moment that you asked about when

59
00:03:25,880 --> 00:03:28,520
Speaker 1: is the AHA moment was when I was sitting in

60
00:03:28,520 --> 00:03:34,280
Speaker 1: my office trying to write an NIH grant and the

61
00:03:34,360 --> 00:03:38,520
Speaker 1: thought went through my mind, gosh, grant writing went well. Today.

62
00:03:38,880 --> 00:03:41,240
Speaker 1: I had never had that thought in my mind after

63
00:03:41,560 --> 00:03:46,840
Speaker 1: whatever six years of writing grants and doing research, and

64
00:03:46,960 --> 00:03:48,320
Speaker 1: you know, I could think, oh, well, I'm just having

65
00:03:48,360 --> 00:03:51,040
Speaker 1: a good day, so good for me. No, it was

66
00:03:51,080 --> 00:03:54,200
Speaker 1: because the only thing that I changed in my life

67
00:03:54,760 --> 00:03:59,240
Speaker 1: was going to the gym regularly, and I was feeling good.

68
00:04:00,040 --> 00:04:04,280
Speaker 1: And what I realized is that my focus was getting deeper,

69
00:04:04,600 --> 00:04:07,920
Speaker 1: my memory seemed to work better, my mood was actually

70
00:04:08,000 --> 00:04:11,160
Speaker 1: through the roof. And that was the big aha that

71
00:04:11,240 --> 00:04:14,560
Speaker 1: made me go back and really want to understand what

72
00:04:14,640 --> 00:04:16,440
Speaker 1: exercise was doing to my brain.

73
00:04:16,600 --> 00:04:20,320
Speaker 3: Well, you actually switched your research because of this realization,

74
00:04:20,640 --> 00:04:25,680
Speaker 3: which I thought was pretty meaningful when you came across

75
00:04:26,000 --> 00:04:30,159
Speaker 3: this discovery about exercise in your labs. And again, what

76
00:04:30,320 --> 00:04:33,440
Speaker 3: surprised you most about how exercise impacts the way our

77
00:04:33,480 --> 00:04:34,039
Speaker 3: minds work?

78
00:04:34,440 --> 00:04:38,680
Speaker 1: You know, gosh, that's such a great question. What surprised

79
00:04:39,080 --> 00:04:47,640
Speaker 1: me most was how powerful this activity was for our brains.

80
00:04:48,279 --> 00:04:51,240
Speaker 1: So it surprised me by it's power that I kind

81
00:04:51,240 --> 00:04:54,159
Speaker 1: of stepped back, like, this is free, This is available

82
00:04:54,200 --> 00:04:59,359
Speaker 1: for anybody anywhere to do and has the power because

83
00:04:59,400 --> 00:05:03,839
Speaker 1: of that, because of the equanimity of exercise, but the

84
00:05:03,880 --> 00:05:07,800
Speaker 1: real one, because I love the hippocampus. Part of the

85
00:05:07,839 --> 00:05:13,920
Speaker 1: brain critical for memory is that regular exercise will increase

86
00:05:14,680 --> 00:05:18,719
Speaker 1: a neurochemical called a growth factor that gets released in

87
00:05:18,800 --> 00:05:21,960
Speaker 1: your brain every single time you exercise. It's like a

88
00:05:21,960 --> 00:05:25,640
Speaker 1: little bubble bath of growth factors. Those growth factors go

89
00:05:25,720 --> 00:05:30,080
Speaker 1: to the hippocampus and grow brand new brain cells. Wow,

90
00:05:30,600 --> 00:05:33,640
Speaker 1: it's one of only two brain areas in the human

91
00:05:33,760 --> 00:05:37,239
Speaker 1: the adult human brain, where new brain cells can be born,

92
00:05:37,680 --> 00:05:41,119
Speaker 1: and it's free to get new hippocampal brain cells. Who

93
00:05:41,160 --> 00:05:44,159
Speaker 1: doesn't want a better memory, Who doesn't want what I

94
00:05:44,240 --> 00:05:47,719
Speaker 1: like to call a bigger, fatterer, fluffier hippocampus.

95
00:05:48,160 --> 00:05:50,400
Speaker 3: I love when you call it fluffy, and I love

96
00:05:50,480 --> 00:05:52,520
Speaker 3: that you love the hippocampus. You talk about it a

97
00:05:52,560 --> 00:05:55,080
Speaker 3: lot in your TED talk, and you talk about how

98
00:05:55,120 --> 00:05:57,440
Speaker 3: exercise is the single best thing we can do for

99
00:05:57,480 --> 00:06:00,520
Speaker 3: our brains. But you cite three reasons. Can we go

100
00:06:00,640 --> 00:06:01,719
Speaker 3: through those three?

101
00:06:01,960 --> 00:06:06,840
Speaker 1: Yes? So I call exercise the most transformative thing that

102
00:06:07,000 --> 00:06:10,640
Speaker 1: anybody can do for their brain right now. One because

103
00:06:10,960 --> 00:06:15,880
Speaker 1: you immediately get benefits from even a single workout. And

104
00:06:15,920 --> 00:06:19,040
Speaker 1: this is because every time you work out, there is

105
00:06:19,400 --> 00:06:23,440
Speaker 1: a release of a torrent of neurochemicals in your brain,

106
00:06:23,520 --> 00:06:27,920
Speaker 1: including dopamine, serotonin, nor adrenaline. This is going to make

107
00:06:27,920 --> 00:06:30,200
Speaker 1: you feel good, it's going to make you feel rewarded,

108
00:06:30,480 --> 00:06:34,720
Speaker 1: it's going to make you feel motivated. So every movement session,

109
00:06:34,800 --> 00:06:38,080
Speaker 1: including a ten minute walk, has been shown to decrease

110
00:06:38,440 --> 00:06:43,120
Speaker 1: depression and anxiety levels and increase positive mood states as well.

111
00:06:43,320 --> 00:06:46,440
Speaker 1: So you get not only that with an immediate workout,

112
00:06:46,520 --> 00:06:50,960
Speaker 1: but your focus and attention, dependent on the prefrontal cortex,

113
00:06:51,400 --> 00:06:55,960
Speaker 1: improves with a single workout. Usually those workouts are workouts

114
00:06:55,960 --> 00:06:58,200
Speaker 1: that include an aerobic component. That is, your heart weight

115
00:06:58,320 --> 00:07:02,480
Speaker 1: is going up and or motor reaction times are getting better.

116
00:07:02,600 --> 00:07:06,039
Speaker 1: So that's just the immediate benefits. That's benefit number one.

117
00:07:06,600 --> 00:07:09,080
Speaker 3: And when you say immediate, does that mean I do

118
00:07:09,120 --> 00:07:12,080
Speaker 3: this ten minute walk and then I see and feel

119
00:07:12,120 --> 00:07:13,880
Speaker 3: all of these benefits right afterwards.

120
00:07:13,960 --> 00:07:17,480
Speaker 1: Yes, exactly. Now those benefits are not going to last

121
00:07:17,520 --> 00:07:19,600
Speaker 1: the rest of your life. Your ten minute walk isn't

122
00:07:19,680 --> 00:07:22,040
Speaker 1: going to change your mood for the rest of your life.

123
00:07:22,160 --> 00:07:26,800
Speaker 1: They are temporary, but they are significant. But the second

124
00:07:27,440 --> 00:07:32,480
Speaker 1: benefit that you get from exercise is a long lasting benefit.

125
00:07:32,520 --> 00:07:36,240
Speaker 1: Those are the long term benefits of regular exercise in

126
00:07:36,280 --> 00:07:40,360
Speaker 1: your life. So imagine giving your brain that bubble bath

127
00:07:40,480 --> 00:07:44,680
Speaker 1: of neurochemicals, not just once a one off but regularly

128
00:07:44,840 --> 00:07:48,920
Speaker 1: for three months, six months, hopefully for the rest of

129
00:07:48,960 --> 00:07:49,720
Speaker 1: your life.

130
00:07:50,120 --> 00:07:54,760
Speaker 3: And when you say neurochemicals and neurotransmitters, you mean serotonin

131
00:07:54,800 --> 00:07:56,280
Speaker 3: and dopamine, all the feel.

132
00:07:56,040 --> 00:07:58,760
Speaker 1: Good they're neurotransmitters, that's what they're called.

133
00:07:58,760 --> 00:08:01,640
Speaker 3: So all these feel good neurotransmitters that go off in

134
00:08:01,680 --> 00:08:02,280
Speaker 3: our brain.

135
00:08:02,200 --> 00:08:06,440
Speaker 1: Exactly, they go up as well as growth factors are

136
00:08:06,440 --> 00:08:09,160
Speaker 1: going up. I'm giving you a curated list. There are

137
00:08:09,160 --> 00:08:13,360
Speaker 1: many more neurochemicals that go up. So the next benefit

138
00:08:13,440 --> 00:08:18,080
Speaker 1: are the long term benefits of physical, regular physical activity. Again,

139
00:08:18,120 --> 00:08:22,200
Speaker 1: you're giving your brain this bubble bath on a regular basis.

140
00:08:22,880 --> 00:08:27,000
Speaker 1: And what happens is those growth factors not only grow

141
00:08:27,200 --> 00:08:30,600
Speaker 1: shiny new hippocampal cells, making your hippocampus big and fat

142
00:08:30,640 --> 00:08:34,680
Speaker 1: and fluffy, but growth factors and other factors we haven't

143
00:08:35,040 --> 00:08:37,959
Speaker 1: identified all of them that are at play, but they

144
00:08:38,000 --> 00:08:40,840
Speaker 1: go to your prefrontal cortex and increase the number of

145
00:08:40,960 --> 00:08:45,800
Speaker 1: connections or synapses in the prefrontal cortex, importantly making it

146
00:08:45,920 --> 00:08:50,280
Speaker 1: work better. Your focused attention will be better, not temporarily,

147
00:08:50,360 --> 00:08:56,160
Speaker 1: but your baseline levels will improve with long term exercise.

148
00:08:56,000 --> 00:08:59,360
Speaker 3: And my prefrontal cortex is also where I make decisions, right,

149
00:08:59,720 --> 00:09:03,120
Speaker 3: It is absol that's really important.

150
00:09:02,840 --> 00:09:03,960
Speaker 1: That's really important.

151
00:09:05,240 --> 00:09:08,480
Speaker 3: There's more coming up with doctor Wendy Suzuki. We'll be

152
00:09:08,559 --> 00:09:21,600
Speaker 3: right back after the break. Welcome back. We're picking up

153
00:09:21,640 --> 00:09:25,320
Speaker 3: on the conversation with doctor Wendy Suzuki. Do you think

154
00:09:25,440 --> 00:09:30,000
Speaker 3: that any of these long term effects help us in

155
00:09:30,320 --> 00:09:34,080
Speaker 3: communication skills? Like if our mood is boosted long term,

156
00:09:34,120 --> 00:09:36,240
Speaker 3: are we better when we're fighting with our partner?

157
00:09:37,080 --> 00:09:40,120
Speaker 1: You know, I can't think of any studies that I've

158
00:09:40,160 --> 00:09:43,640
Speaker 1: looked at, but would you rather be fighting with your

159
00:09:43,720 --> 00:09:49,720
Speaker 1: partner after a mood boosting kickboxing class or after a

160
00:09:49,840 --> 00:09:53,840
Speaker 1: night of sleep deprivation when we're cranky and angry and

161
00:09:54,280 --> 00:09:58,640
Speaker 1: you know, angry. Of course, I'd rather come into any

162
00:09:58,679 --> 00:10:02,800
Speaker 1: conversation with a significant person in my family with a

163
00:10:02,840 --> 00:10:07,079
Speaker 1: better mood, a better mindset. Again, exercise hasn't been studied

164
00:10:07,080 --> 00:10:10,720
Speaker 1: directly on mindset, but mood is a really important part

165
00:10:10,840 --> 00:10:14,960
Speaker 1: of mindset. So yes, it can help with that, thank you.

166
00:10:15,000 --> 00:10:17,240
Speaker 3: And then the third one that you mentioned are the

167
00:10:17,280 --> 00:10:18,359
Speaker 3: protective aspects.

168
00:10:18,480 --> 00:10:23,959
Speaker 1: Yes, yes, so these are long term protective aspects. Because

169
00:10:24,080 --> 00:10:26,760
Speaker 1: one thing that I haven't mentioned so far is that

170
00:10:27,200 --> 00:10:30,520
Speaker 1: the two brain areas that are some of the most

171
00:10:30,720 --> 00:10:35,840
Speaker 1: susceptible to both aging and dementia are the hippocampus and

172
00:10:36,080 --> 00:10:40,120
Speaker 1: the prefrontal cortex. Now, these new cells and new synapses

173
00:10:40,640 --> 00:10:44,080
Speaker 1: is not a cure for either aging or dementia. But

174
00:10:44,200 --> 00:10:49,040
Speaker 1: imagine a lifetime of regular exercise making your prefrontal cortex

175
00:10:49,080 --> 00:10:53,920
Speaker 1: and your hippocampus huge and fluffy and gyrated, and it's

176
00:10:54,040 --> 00:10:58,560
Speaker 1: just firing on all cylinders. Frankly, it is going to

177
00:10:58,679 --> 00:11:02,160
Speaker 1: make the plaques and tangles that come in to damage

178
00:11:02,200 --> 00:11:04,880
Speaker 1: and then kill the cells, particularly in the hip a campus.

179
00:11:05,520 --> 00:11:07,240
Speaker 1: It's going to take longer to do it because you

180
00:11:07,280 --> 00:11:09,400
Speaker 1: have many more epic campal cells to do it. So

181
00:11:09,440 --> 00:11:12,520
Speaker 1: it's a way. It's a strategic and a free strategy

182
00:11:12,880 --> 00:11:18,040
Speaker 1: that is staving off the decline that often comes with aging.

183
00:11:18,200 --> 00:11:21,400
Speaker 1: And for myself and so many others that are listening

184
00:11:21,440 --> 00:11:24,920
Speaker 1: to this podcast, you might have Alzheimer's in your family.

185
00:11:25,000 --> 00:11:29,319
Speaker 1: My father passed away with Alzheimer's dementia, so you can

186
00:11:29,440 --> 00:11:32,440
Speaker 1: believe that that is part of my motivation. But my

187
00:11:32,920 --> 00:11:36,200
Speaker 1: bubble bath, the visions of my brain getting a bubble

188
00:11:36,200 --> 00:11:38,760
Speaker 1: bath every morning when I work out, and that the

189
00:11:38,800 --> 00:11:41,120
Speaker 1: thought of growing a big fat fluffy at a campus

190
00:11:41,120 --> 00:11:46,640
Speaker 1: in prefrontal cortex are also my admittedly nerdy motivation as

191
00:11:46,679 --> 00:11:48,880
Speaker 1: a neuroscientist to work out every day.

192
00:11:49,320 --> 00:11:52,440
Speaker 3: I am now going to be thinking of my brain

193
00:11:52,760 --> 00:11:57,400
Speaker 3: looking like a big, fluffy bubble bath, which is so great. Yes,

194
00:11:57,559 --> 00:12:03,080
Speaker 3: I love that imagery. You mentioned aerobic exercise as being

195
00:12:03,120 --> 00:12:06,200
Speaker 3: really important. I'm wondering if we can sort of hone

196
00:12:06,280 --> 00:12:08,920
Speaker 3: in on that. Some people like to lift weights, some

197
00:12:08,960 --> 00:12:13,480
Speaker 3: people do yoga, some people prefer high intensity workouts. Are

198
00:12:13,480 --> 00:12:17,239
Speaker 3: there specific types of exercise that provide more brain benefits

199
00:12:17,280 --> 00:12:18,000
Speaker 3: than others do?

200
00:12:18,640 --> 00:12:22,520
Speaker 1: So here here's what the data show. The most research

201
00:12:23,000 --> 00:12:28,160
Speaker 1: has been done on aerobic activity, which simply is activity

202
00:12:28,280 --> 00:12:30,880
Speaker 1: that increases your heart rate, whatever it is. Lots of

203
00:12:30,880 --> 00:12:34,040
Speaker 1: different kinds have been studied, from running to cycling to

204
00:12:34,840 --> 00:12:38,800
Speaker 1: other forms of sports. That has been shown with the

205
00:12:39,080 --> 00:12:42,440
Speaker 1: largest number of studies to give you these brain benefits

206
00:12:42,440 --> 00:12:45,240
Speaker 1: that we just talked about, the immediate, the long lasting,

207
00:12:45,320 --> 00:12:48,800
Speaker 1: and the protective brain benefits. That does not mean that,

208
00:12:48,880 --> 00:12:51,120
Speaker 1: oh my god, I love to lift weights and that's

209
00:12:51,160 --> 00:12:54,280
Speaker 1: no good for my brain. It just means that there

210
00:12:54,280 --> 00:12:58,000
Speaker 1: hasn't been as much research done on that. But if

211
00:12:58,040 --> 00:13:01,520
Speaker 1: you want to focus on the thing that has most

212
00:13:01,559 --> 00:13:05,880
Speaker 1: evidence to benefit your brain, that is any movement that

213
00:13:06,080 --> 00:13:08,520
Speaker 1: is increasing your heart rate, that is aerobic exercise.

214
00:13:08,840 --> 00:13:11,720
Speaker 3: Okay, so in that vein, if you could design the

215
00:13:11,800 --> 00:13:14,640
Speaker 3: ultimate brain boosting workout, what would it include?

216
00:13:15,160 --> 00:13:18,600
Speaker 1: You know, it really depends on what you like. What

217
00:13:18,679 --> 00:13:21,000
Speaker 1: I can tell you as a scientist is do something

218
00:13:21,000 --> 00:13:23,360
Speaker 1: that you love that gets your heart rate up. If

219
00:13:23,520 --> 00:13:26,600
Speaker 1: friends motivate, you do it with friends. Let me start

220
00:13:26,600 --> 00:13:28,800
Speaker 1: with the least amount that you need to do to

221
00:13:28,800 --> 00:13:31,840
Speaker 1: get some benefit, and that is ten minutes of walking

222
00:13:32,200 --> 00:13:34,280
Speaker 1: has been shown. Look, you don't even have to change

223
00:13:34,280 --> 00:13:36,760
Speaker 1: your shoes, go for ten minute walk That has been

224
00:13:36,760 --> 00:13:40,439
Speaker 1: shown to decrease anxiety and depression levels. So that's it.

225
00:13:40,679 --> 00:13:42,800
Speaker 1: You get all the other brain benefits. No, not from

226
00:13:42,880 --> 00:13:46,280
Speaker 1: ten minutes of walking. But we have done studies in

227
00:13:46,360 --> 00:13:49,920
Speaker 1: my lab that showed if your low fit, you're just

228
00:13:49,960 --> 00:13:53,200
Speaker 1: starting out, you haven't started your exercise journey yet, and

229
00:13:53,400 --> 00:13:55,199
Speaker 1: you say, oh gosh, how do I have to get

230
00:13:55,200 --> 00:13:57,640
Speaker 1: in into it? If it's not just ten minutes of walking.

231
00:13:58,520 --> 00:14:04,080
Speaker 1: Three months of two to three times a week cardio workout,

232
00:14:04,240 --> 00:14:07,600
Speaker 1: and in our study we did spin forty five minutes

233
00:14:07,840 --> 00:14:12,760
Speaker 1: two to three times a week, significantly improved mood, significantly

234
00:14:12,800 --> 00:14:17,200
Speaker 1: improved prefrontal function, your ability to shift and focus attention,

235
00:14:17,360 --> 00:14:21,479
Speaker 1: and a measure of memory function dependent on the hippocampus

236
00:14:21,560 --> 00:14:24,320
Speaker 1: of related regions as well. Is that the least I

237
00:14:24,360 --> 00:14:26,360
Speaker 1: don't know. We didn't do the study to be the least.

238
00:14:26,480 --> 00:14:29,200
Speaker 1: We thought this would be a good measure to hit

239
00:14:29,240 --> 00:14:32,320
Speaker 1: that would get us results, and it was two to

240
00:14:32,480 --> 00:14:36,120
Speaker 1: three times a week is doable. It will get your

241
00:14:36,120 --> 00:14:38,960
Speaker 1: sweat on, it'll make you feel good, and that will

242
00:14:38,960 --> 00:14:40,040
Speaker 1: start to change your brain.

243
00:14:40,240 --> 00:14:42,960
Speaker 3: And is there sort of this magic number because I

244
00:14:43,040 --> 00:14:46,200
Speaker 3: hear a lot in magazines, are on TV or in

245
00:14:46,360 --> 00:14:49,520
Speaker 3: podcasts of like the thirty minute rule with working out,

246
00:14:49,920 --> 00:14:53,480
Speaker 3: is there a time at which you start to see

247
00:14:53,520 --> 00:14:55,200
Speaker 3: the brain boost even more?

248
00:14:55,280 --> 00:14:57,920
Speaker 1: So, that's a great question And the answer is, we

249
00:14:58,040 --> 00:15:02,880
Speaker 1: don't know that, but I did with midfit participants that

250
00:15:02,880 --> 00:15:06,120
Speaker 1: we're already working out about two times a week, So

251
00:15:06,120 --> 00:15:09,120
Speaker 1: that's a lot of people out there. And first thing

252
00:15:09,280 --> 00:15:11,840
Speaker 1: is that two times a week already benefiting your brain,

253
00:15:12,040 --> 00:15:15,600
Speaker 1: so you're already getting something. But there we asked, what

254
00:15:15,640 --> 00:15:18,400
Speaker 1: if we asked them to do more, would we see

255
00:15:18,760 --> 00:15:22,440
Speaker 1: a more of a brain benefit? And the short answer

256
00:15:22,600 --> 00:15:25,520
Speaker 1: is yes, we did. And exercise turns out to be

257
00:15:25,680 --> 00:15:29,040
Speaker 1: very democratic. That is, we found that the more the

258
00:15:29,120 --> 00:15:34,800
Speaker 1: people sweated, the more brain benefit they got. So what

259
00:15:34,840 --> 00:15:39,240
Speaker 1: you're doing is helping. You're walking, you're taking your dog

260
00:15:39,280 --> 00:15:42,960
Speaker 1: for the walk, you're dancing, all helping, and just know

261
00:15:43,320 --> 00:15:47,000
Speaker 1: that anything more that you do is going to benefit

262
00:15:47,040 --> 00:15:50,360
Speaker 1: your brain more. Ask yourself, what can I do for

263
00:15:50,480 --> 00:15:53,200
Speaker 1: my brain today? What do I want to do to

264
00:15:53,280 --> 00:15:56,080
Speaker 1: help make my brain as big and fat and fluffy

265
00:15:56,320 --> 00:16:00,240
Speaker 1: as I can when aging comes in and dementia might

266
00:16:00,280 --> 00:16:03,280
Speaker 1: come in if I have it in my genes, not

267
00:16:03,400 --> 00:16:06,040
Speaker 1: as a scared thing, but as this is something that

268
00:16:06,080 --> 00:16:09,960
Speaker 1: I could do right now to benefit the rest of

269
00:16:09,960 --> 00:16:10,400
Speaker 1: my life.

270
00:16:11,080 --> 00:16:13,040
Speaker 3: Is it ever too late to make these changes?

271
00:16:13,640 --> 00:16:16,320
Speaker 1: That is such a great question in terms of age, No,

272
00:16:16,520 --> 00:16:19,680
Speaker 1: there isn't, because studies have shown that people that are

273
00:16:19,760 --> 00:16:24,000
Speaker 1: already in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease can benefit

274
00:16:24,120 --> 00:16:27,240
Speaker 1: from a regular exercise program in terms of low in

275
00:16:27,480 --> 00:16:31,680
Speaker 1: their dementia score. Their everyday dementia score gets lower. It

276
00:16:31,720 --> 00:16:37,840
Speaker 1: doesn't cure dementia, but it has a demonstrable effect, and

277
00:16:38,480 --> 00:16:41,840
Speaker 1: that should not be overestimated because people say, oh, well,

278
00:16:42,360 --> 00:16:44,760
Speaker 1: I'm whatever, I'm fifty years old. I can't start now.

279
00:16:44,840 --> 00:16:48,280
Speaker 1: Yes you can, Yes you can. It will be helpful. Again,

280
00:16:48,360 --> 00:16:53,080
Speaker 1: it doesn't matter when you start how old you are. Again,

281
00:16:53,160 --> 00:16:56,760
Speaker 1: exercise is democratic. It will go with you, it'll work

282
00:16:56,800 --> 00:16:58,840
Speaker 1: with you, put in the work, and you will get

283
00:16:58,880 --> 00:16:59,560
Speaker 1: that benefit.

284
00:17:00,280 --> 00:17:04,600
Speaker 3: That's so wonderful to hear. We'll be right back, Bestie's.

285
00:17:04,760 --> 00:17:07,520
Speaker 3: The rest of my conversation with doctor Suzuki is right

286
00:17:07,520 --> 00:17:17,000
Speaker 3: after the break, and we're back with doctor Wendy Suzuki.

287
00:17:18,480 --> 00:17:22,080
Speaker 3: I was reading last night as I was preparing for

288
00:17:22,119 --> 00:17:27,280
Speaker 3: this about data published in twenty twenty three, and it

289
00:17:27,400 --> 00:17:30,959
Speaker 3: said that our brains are not naturally inclined to exercise.

290
00:17:31,080 --> 00:17:36,280
Speaker 3: So evolutionarily speaking, our hunter gatherer ancestors were not jogging

291
00:17:36,280 --> 00:17:39,640
Speaker 3: for fun. They were preserving and conserving energy.

292
00:17:40,119 --> 00:17:40,840
Speaker 1: So as a.

293
00:17:40,760 --> 00:17:43,720
Speaker 3: Result, I think we have this little reluctant voice in

294
00:17:43,760 --> 00:17:45,480
Speaker 3: our mind that says, oh, I don't want to get up,

295
00:17:45,520 --> 00:17:49,320
Speaker 3: I don't want to exercise, which is totally normal and natural.

296
00:17:49,359 --> 00:17:52,320
Speaker 3: But I'm wondering if there's a way to override that

297
00:17:52,440 --> 00:17:56,520
Speaker 3: voice and encourage ourselves to get that brain boost.

298
00:17:57,440 --> 00:18:00,720
Speaker 1: Well, that is such a great question because that stops

299
00:18:00,760 --> 00:18:04,080
Speaker 1: so many people. It is hard to start. It's not like, oh,

300
00:18:04,119 --> 00:18:06,639
Speaker 1: it's so easy, go go, Why aren't you doing it? No,

301
00:18:06,960 --> 00:18:11,359
Speaker 1: it's hard. And in fact, just this morning, I did

302
00:18:11,440 --> 00:18:16,600
Speaker 1: a post for my Instagram about making the hard choice

303
00:18:16,680 --> 00:18:19,160
Speaker 1: and even me, I talk about this all the time,

304
00:18:19,800 --> 00:18:24,280
Speaker 1: and I cannot go on these podcasts and not talk

305
00:18:24,400 --> 00:18:28,680
Speaker 1: the talk and also acknowledge that some days I make

306
00:18:28,840 --> 00:18:30,960
Speaker 1: the lower tri I do five minutes, I do ten

307
00:18:31,000 --> 00:18:35,240
Speaker 1: minutes instead of my thirty minutes. But some days I

308
00:18:35,640 --> 00:18:38,560
Speaker 1: make the harder choice. And it made me feel so

309
00:18:38,880 --> 00:18:42,320
Speaker 1: good to do that. And how did I get to

310
00:18:42,400 --> 00:18:47,199
Speaker 1: that spot? It is building slowly, building up a habit.

311
00:18:47,600 --> 00:18:50,600
Speaker 1: And when did I build that habit up strongly? During

312
00:18:50,640 --> 00:18:54,800
Speaker 1: the pandemic I had more time and I couldn't go

313
00:18:54,840 --> 00:18:57,639
Speaker 1: to the gym. I found a way to do it.

314
00:18:58,040 --> 00:19:03,000
Speaker 1: And that habit of working at at home without all

315
00:19:03,040 --> 00:19:06,919
Speaker 1: that motivation around me has served me so well going

316
00:19:07,000 --> 00:19:10,200
Speaker 1: forward that I benefit every single day. But it's hard,

317
00:19:10,720 --> 00:19:12,919
Speaker 1: and you have to be kind with yourself, and you

318
00:19:13,000 --> 00:19:16,040
Speaker 1: have to give yourself all the motivation that you can.

319
00:19:16,359 --> 00:19:18,600
Speaker 1: If it is going to the gym with the music

320
00:19:18,680 --> 00:19:22,320
Speaker 1: and your favorite little lemon. Right, do that. But that's

321
00:19:22,359 --> 00:19:23,640
Speaker 1: a key.

322
00:19:23,760 --> 00:19:26,240
Speaker 3: So you made me think of this as you were sharing.

323
00:19:27,280 --> 00:19:32,400
Speaker 3: If you have to make a choice between sleep and exercise, yeah,

324
00:19:32,640 --> 00:19:35,840
Speaker 3: in terms of the benefits to our brain, what is

325
00:19:35,880 --> 00:19:36,879
Speaker 3: the correct choice?

326
00:19:38,080 --> 00:19:41,720
Speaker 1: So that's such a great question, And so here's my answer.

327
00:19:42,640 --> 00:19:46,919
Speaker 1: If I deprive you of working out, what happens. You know,

328
00:19:47,000 --> 00:19:49,240
Speaker 1: you don't get all the bit and festing, but you're fine.

329
00:19:49,400 --> 00:19:52,560
Speaker 1: If I deprive you of sleep long enough, you will

330
00:19:52,600 --> 00:19:57,440
Speaker 1: die because it is so fundamental to our normal physiology.

331
00:19:57,520 --> 00:20:01,280
Speaker 3: If you could leave our listeners with one simple message

332
00:20:01,320 --> 00:20:05,679
Speaker 3: about the connection between movement and the brain, something that

333
00:20:05,760 --> 00:20:08,680
Speaker 3: might inspire them or that they think about on those

334
00:20:08,800 --> 00:20:11,879
Speaker 3: days where they just don't feel like getting up, what

335
00:20:11,880 --> 00:20:12,520
Speaker 3: would you say.

336
00:20:13,200 --> 00:20:17,760
Speaker 1: I would say that I want everybody to remember that

337
00:20:18,359 --> 00:20:24,760
Speaker 1: your brain is literally the most complex structure known to humankind.

338
00:20:25,000 --> 00:20:27,280
Speaker 1: We don't often think about that. It's all my silly brain.

339
00:20:27,359 --> 00:20:29,639
Speaker 1: I can't remember this, I can't remember, but it's it

340
00:20:29,800 --> 00:20:33,040
Speaker 1: is the most complex structure. That's why so many neuroscientists

341
00:20:33,119 --> 00:20:37,440
Speaker 1: still don't understand it after one hundred years of deep study.

342
00:20:37,920 --> 00:20:41,600
Speaker 1: And that yours is unique your brain is unique as

343
00:20:41,680 --> 00:20:46,880
Speaker 1: you are, and that exercise is going to change the

344
00:20:46,920 --> 00:20:51,000
Speaker 1: trajectory of your brain so that it reaches the potential

345
00:20:51,040 --> 00:20:54,760
Speaker 1: that it should. That that is the aspiration that I

346
00:20:54,840 --> 00:20:57,720
Speaker 1: keep in my mind, and I hope that everybody can

347
00:20:57,960 --> 00:21:01,960
Speaker 1: take in their motivation toolbox as well.

348
00:21:02,680 --> 00:21:04,520
Speaker 3: I'm going to think of a brain bubble bath when

349
00:21:04,520 --> 00:21:08,439
Speaker 3: I don't want to wake up in the morning in

350
00:21:08,480 --> 00:21:11,880
Speaker 3: an alternate universe. You are not the dean, You are

351
00:21:11,880 --> 00:21:15,480
Speaker 3: not a neuroscientist. You are a DJ, and you are

352
00:21:15,520 --> 00:21:18,720
Speaker 3: at a brain boosting dance party. What is the first

353
00:21:18,760 --> 00:21:22,520
Speaker 3: song that you'd play to get everybody's neurons firing happy?

354
00:21:22,720 --> 00:21:24,480
Speaker 1: By Pharrell? Oh?

355
00:21:24,520 --> 00:21:25,000
Speaker 3: I like that.

356
00:21:25,240 --> 00:21:26,000
Speaker 1: I love that song.

357
00:21:26,200 --> 00:21:28,439
Speaker 3: Thank you so much for your time. This was really

358
00:21:28,600 --> 00:21:29,600
Speaker 3: really informative.

359
00:21:29,960 --> 00:21:31,960
Speaker 1: Thank you so much. This is so much fun.

360
00:21:34,320 --> 00:21:37,840
Speaker 3: Doctor Wendy Suzuki is a professor of neuroscience and psychology

361
00:21:38,119 --> 00:21:40,600
Speaker 3: and the Dean of Arts and Sciences at NYU.

362
00:21:45,359 --> 00:21:47,760
Speaker 2: That's it for today's show. Tomorrow, we're talking all about

363
00:21:47,800 --> 00:21:51,359
Speaker 2: parenting with one of our favorite economists, best selling author,

364
00:21:51,560 --> 00:21:54,600
Speaker 2: and the founder and CEO of parent Data. It's Emily Oster.

365
00:21:55,520 --> 00:21:57,600
Speaker 2: Thank you to our partners at Coli Guard, The one

366
00:21:57,600 --> 00:21:59,480
Speaker 2: of a kind way to screen for colon cancer in

367
00:21:59,520 --> 00:22:02,000
Speaker 2: the privacy and comfort of your own home. Talk to

368
00:22:02,040 --> 00:22:04,879
Speaker 2: your doctor or healthcare provider, or go to coliguard dot

369
00:22:04,960 --> 00:22:08,160
Speaker 2: com slash podcast to see if you're eligible to order online.

370
00:22:08,359 --> 00:22:10,720
Speaker 2: If you're forty five or older and at average risk,

371
00:22:11,000 --> 00:22:14,120
Speaker 2: ask your healthcare provider about screening for colon cancer with Coliguard.

372
00:22:14,440 --> 00:22:17,119
Speaker 2: You can also request a collar guard prescription today at

373
00:22:17,160 --> 00:22:22,240
Speaker 2: coliguard dot com slash podcast. Join the conversation using hashtag

374
00:22:22,280 --> 00:22:24,920
Speaker 2: the bright Side and connect with us on social media

375
00:22:25,000 --> 00:22:28,240
Speaker 2: at Hello Sunshine on Instagram and at the bright Side

376
00:22:28,240 --> 00:22:31,160
Speaker 2: Pod on TikTok Oh, and feel free to tag us

377
00:22:31,240 --> 00:22:33,800
Speaker 2: at simone Voice and at danielle Robe.

378
00:22:34,359 --> 00:22:37,320
Speaker 3: Listen and follow The bright Side on the iHeartRadio app,

379
00:22:37,359 --> 00:22:40,040
Speaker 3: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

380
00:22:40,440 --> 00:22:47,360
Speaker 2: See you tomorrow, folks, Keep looking on the bright side.