Actively create mismatches or errors in how you perform tasks to signal to your nervous system that something is wrong and needs to change, which triggers the release of neurochemicals essential for plasticity.
When you encounter frustration from making errors, leverage it by continuing to drill deeper into the endeavor for a bit longer, as this frustration liberates chemical cues that signal the need for neuroplastic change.
Subjectively associate the experience of making errors with something positive and desirable, telling yourself that these failures are good for learning, to release dopamine and accelerate plasticity.
Create a serious incentive or a high personal need for learning or change, as the importance you place on an outcome can dramatically accelerate the rate and magnitude of neuroplasticity.
As an adult, engage in shorter, focused bouts of learning (7-30 minutes) with smaller increments of change and errors, as the adult nervous system tolerates and responds better to smaller, stacked errors.
Engage your vestibular system in novel ways by changing your orientation relative to gravity or introducing slight instability, as this disruption signals the cerebellum to release neurochemicals that enhance plasticity for all types of learning.
For heightened plasticity, seek out movements and positions that are novel to your body’s relationship to gravity, as routine movements, even complex ones, will not trigger the same neurochemical release.
Before engaging in a learning bout, assess and adjust your autonomic arousal to an optimal state of clear, calm focus; use specific techniques to either calm down if too alert or become more alert if too tired.
To quickly calm down when feeling too alert or anxious, perform a physiological sigh by inhaling twice through the nose, followed by a long, complete exhale through the mouth.
To become more alert when tired, engage in super oxygenation breathing by making your inhales deeper and longer than your exhales, or by breathing very fast to deploy norepinephrine.
Schedule intense learning bouts, especially those involving error-making, during your natural peak mental acuity times of the day to maximize focus and the engagement of plasticity mechanisms.
After an intense bout of error-making motor learning, your brain remains in a heightened state of plasticity for about an hour, making it an optimal time to engage in cognitive or language learning.
Understand that while exercise is beneficial for health, it does not open neuroplasticity unless the behavior is sufficiently different from what you already know how to perform well.
Aim for adaptive, selective brain changes rather than attempting to remember everything, as over-remembering can lead to significant suffering and is not the goal of effective learning.
Gain an understanding of the underlying biological mechanisms of neuroplasticity (e.g., neurochemical release) to flexibly adapt learning strategies to dynamic life circumstances and specific needs.
For individuals under 25, pursue the broadest education possible across various subjects (math, literature, music) to enhance brain development, then specialize in areas that ignite passion.
Utilize the Waking Up app for guided meditations, mindfulness, yoga nidra, or non-sleep deep rest (NSDR) protocols to intentionally place your brain and body into different states and restore energy.
Ensure proper hydration and electrolyte balance by dissolving one packet of Element in 16-32 ounces of water first thing in the morning and during physical exercise.
Take Athletic Greens (AG1) once or twice daily to cover basic nutritional needs, address potential deficiencies, and support microbiome health with probiotics.
Consider supplementing with Vitamin D3 K2 (often offered with Athletic Greens) as D3 is vital for brain and body health, and K2 regulates cardiovascular function and calcium.