Engage in at least one hour of “pure play” per week, especially in activities where you lack proficiency or perform them in a free-form, low-stakes way. This practice opens neural circuits for neuroplasticity by exploring contingencies with elevated endogenous opioids and low epinephrine, fostering creativity and flexibility in your brain.
Adopt a playful mindset not only during dedicated play but also in competitive or serious scenarios. By maintaining low levels of adrenaline and focusing less on rigid outcomes, you can access novel behaviors and flexible thinking, which ultimately enhances performance and expands capabilities.
Select play activities that involve novel, dynamic movements (e.g., different speeds, angles, jumping, ducking, leaping, dance, soccer) or require adopting multiple roles (e.g., chess). Avoid sticking to activities you are already exceptionally good at, as novelty and exploration are key to opening plasticity portals.
Put yourself into scenarios where the stakes are sufficiently low that you are not stressed or overly concerned about the outcome. This environment is crucial for the release of endogenous opioids and low adrenaline, which allows your prefrontal cortex to explore more possibilities and expand its functions.
If you typically play alone or one-on-one, consciously try to expand your play into team-based or group settings. This helps your brain learn and evolve by navigating different social dynamics and assuming varied roles within a collective.
For important material you need to learn and comprehend, read from physical paper (books or printouts) or a larger screen like a tablet, rather than a smartphone. Reading on smaller screens suppresses physiological sighing, which impairs comprehension and brain activity.
Deliberately engage in physiological sighs (a big, deep double inhale followed by a long exhale) regularly, especially when reading on devices or experiencing stress. This technique reopens lung sacs, increases oxygen, offloads carbon dioxide, and quickly reduces stress.
Actively seek out and navigate new and novel environments, rather than repeatedly engaging with the same familiar surroundings. This practice of exploring new spaces contributes to ongoing neuroplasticity and learning throughout your lifespan.
To enhance neuroplasticity at any age, apply a two-step process: focus intensely on what you are trying to learn, then engage in deep rest (ideally deep sleep) in the subsequent nights. Naps and non-sleep deep rest (NSDR) can also accelerate this brain rewiring process.
Reflect on your play experiences during early adolescence (around 10-14 years old), considering how you reacted to competition, cooperation, leadership, rule-breaking, and role-switching. This self-reflection can reveal parallels to your adult tendencies and preferences in various life contexts.
When the goal is rote memory or regurgitation of information, adopt a hyper-focused mindset by convincing yourself the information is critically important and interesting. This intense, rigid focus is a useful tool for learning tasks that require memorization.