Learning to Learn: The Science of Neuroplasticity

• Neuroplasticity is the ability of the nervous system to “rewire” itself.
  • It can be good (adaptive) or bad (maladaptive).
• For younger (under 25) it happens all the time – whether trying to learn or not. For older students, you must actively try to learn in order to rewire the system.
  • This is not true for maladaptive behaviors – those can happen without “active” learning.
  • If you pay attention to something, then you can learn (or remember) something as an adult.

Mechanisms for Learning

• Two mechanisms: triggered (in the classroom) and rewiring (during sleep and rest)
• Learning prereqs. You must be
  • Alert – not tired, able to notice and function
  • Focused – able to tune out distractions and concentrate on a specific thing (not multitasking)
• Rewiring of neural connections happens during sleep ( for more read Why We Sleep or this blog entry ) – we get “neural reputations” of the action or information we learned while awake.
  • These reps also happen during “non-sleep deep rest” – things like meditation, naps, hypnosis, yoga Nidra – activities that try to “turn off” conscious attention.
  • Taking random 10-second breaks (to focus on what you’ve done) greatly enhances learning. (Involves a rapid replay of what they just did/learned 10-20x faster than “real” time).
    • This is more beneficial than “pre” or “post” training rest

Neuroplasticity Super-Protocol

This is not a static document. This can (and will) change as new research comes out.

There are pharmacological tools (pills, plants, etc.), but these are not as effective to rely on outside of a lab setting (where things can be tightly controlled). Generally, changing behaviors and activities are the best way to make long-term progress.

Focus is a process, not a switch

• Be alert
  • Alertness is the gateway to focus – it came come about through desire or through action. Actually doing things increases our level of alertness which can then increase our level of focus (and then learning).
    • Without alertness, there is no learning.
    • No “learning by osmosis”
    • Use the body to control the mind – it’s hard to use the mind to control the mind.
      • 15 quick, deep inhales and exhales can increase alertness.
• You must be focused.
  • Dopamine is the molecule of alertness (not pleasure)
• Use of white noise may raise your level of alertness (prior to or at the beginning of a learning block).
• The brain’s ability to focus follows your visual focus
  • Focus on a “target” at approximately the same distance as your study materials (music, words, etc) for 10-60 seconds while minimizing blinks
• While learning, generate repetitions – (as many as you safely can).
• Expect and embrace errors.
  • Errors are actually productive since they can increase your ability to focus.
• Randomly insert micro-rest (10-30 seconds)
  • During these micro-rests, stop, close your eyes, and focus on what you’ve just done. This increases the number of “neural reps”.
• Use random intermittent reward
  • An expected reward diminishes the capacity for learning. Don’t work for a reward
  • Sometimes the best reward is no reward. Expected reward undermines the learning. The more you expect a reward, the bigger that reward has to be to generate effort.
• Limit learning trigger sessions to 90 minutes (or less). Learning (and focus) is hard work.
  • Give yourself a 5 or 10-minute break between sessions. Similar to the Pomodoro method.
• Incorporate nap or NSDR (non-sleep deep rest) protocols
  • If naps interfere with nighttime sleep, don’t nap (to NSDR instead)
  • As little as 10 minutes of napping can have benefits
  • Meditate
  • Reveri.com (self-hypnosis)
  • NSDR at Madefor (Youtube)
  • Yoga Nidra
• Maximize the quality and optimal duration of sleep at night. The step is often neglected but among the most important. This is when the “saving” happens.