NEUROPLASTICITY SUPER-PROTOCO

1. GET ALER
We must be alert to trigger neuroplasticity (later, sleep completes the neuroplasticity/
learning process). Getting alert involves many mechanisms but mainly the release of
epinephrine (adrenaline) in the brain and body. One simple way to become more alert is
25-30 deep breaths (inhales through the nose, and exhales through the mouth). Then
exhale your air and hold your breath with lungs empty for 15-60 seconds. Then inhale
once and hold your breath. But don’t force the breath hold; start to breathe normally
immediately once you feel the impulse to breathe. Whether you rely on caffeine or not (I
certainly do in the early portion of the day), try this prior to a learning bout
2. GET FOCUSE
Mental focus follows visual focus. To increase your level of focus on the task you are
about to do, stare at a point on a wall or screen, or object for 30-60 seconds before
starting (You can blink as needed). You’ll be surprised how this takes a bit of effort—that
‘effort’ you feel is "top-down" attentional engagement and re ects the activity of neural
circuits involving acetylcholine release in the brain, and other mechanisms too of
course. Then move into the task at hand. Expect your mental focus to icker on and off,
especially at the start of a work/learning bout. [Obviously, having your phone off and out
of the room and web browsers closed or limited to essential tabs only (or even better,
the internet turned off) can help.
3. GENERATE REPETITION
Perform the maximum number of repetitions you safely can in a given learning bout. For
some types of learning, "repetitions" will be actual repeats of something- learning scales
of music, for instance. We progress linearly for other types of learning by repeating the
same process, such as reading or doing math problems. Regardless, the same principle
holds; work to repeat the process a bit faster than is re exive for you. This helps the
mind from drifting off task and naturally keeps you alert. Will you make errors? Of
course, which leads to #4
4. EXPECT & EMBRACE ERROR
Provided they don’t comprise safety, errors during learning are terri c because they
increase activation of the neural circuits that increase alertness. It makes sense, right?
If you perform something correctly, why should your brain take notice? When we make
errors, it feels "stressful," but that is just an increase in attention that puts us in a much
better place to perform and execute learning-related behaviors the next trial—meaning
on the next attempt. Computational modeling data suggests that an error rate of ~15%
may be optimal and can help determine how dif cult we should make a task. But don’t
worry too much about those speci cs. Instead, keep doing repetitions and when you
mess up, capitalize on it by doing another attempt (and another) while your forebrain is
in that maximally attentive state
5. INSERT MICRO-REST INTERVALS (AT RANDOM
This is a non-obvious way to increase repetitions and learn faster. Studies (in humans)
have shown that when we are trying to learn something, if we pause every so often for
10seconds and do nothing during the pause, neurons in the hippocampus and cortex—
areas of the brain involved in learning and memory, engage the same patterns of neural
activity that occurred during the actual activity of reading, musical practice, skill training,
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 etc. but 10X faster—meaning you get 10X neural repetitions completed during the
pause. These "gap-effects" are similar to what happens in a deep sleep. The takeaway:
randomly introduce 10 second pauses during learning. "How often?" I get asked. A ratio
of approximately 1 pause per every 2 minutes of learning is good but remember,
distributed at random, so not every 2 minutes on the minute
6. USE RANDOM INTERMITTENT REWAR
The neural circuits that control rewards (all of which are brain chemical rewards, by the
way) are closely tethered to the circuits that control motivation and the desire to pursue
things, including learning. The question of how often to reward ourselves or others in
order to keep motivation high is simple: make it random and intermittent. This is what
casinos do to keep people gambling. It works. Predictable rewards lose their
motivational impact quickly
7. LIMIT LEARNING SESSIONS TO 90 MINUTE
Solid research shows that 90 minutes is about the longest period we can expect to
maintain intense focus and effort toward learning. Shorter bouts are ne but after ~90
minutes, take a break (see #8). Also, space intense learning bouts 2-3 (or more) hours
apart. Most people can’t do more than 270 minutes of intense learning bouts per day
8. AFTER A LEARNING BOUT, DO A NSDR (NON-SLEEP DEEP REST) PROTOCO
Two studies (on humans) published in the last 2 years show that shallow naps and/or
NSDR can enhance the rate and depth of learning. This is an easy practice to
incorporate. Within 1 hour of completing a learning bout, do a short NSDR protocol. You
have options as to what NSDR you choose: Reveri is a zero-cost (research tested), self-
hypnosis app, or take a brief 20 minute nap, or listen to an NSDR script such as Yoga
Nidra (I like this 10 minute one and do it daily, or here is a longer 30 minute video that is
excellent)
9. GET QUALITY & SUFFICIENTLY LONG DEEP SLEEP THAT NIGHT (& THE NEXT,
& THE NEXT…
The actual rewiring of neural circuits that underlies learning occurs during sleep and
NSDR. Think of the learning bout as the "trigger" or stimulus for the possibility that we
might learn, but sleep and NSDR are when the actual learning- the neural circuit
rewiring, occurs. I did an entire episode (4 actually) of the Huberman Lab Podcast on
mastering sleep. I provided a summary of key points in Neural Network Newsletter #1.
Our goal should be to get sleep right at least 80% of the time—it takes some work to get
there but it is well worth it

FINAL NOTE
In the future, I will talk about the pharmacology of accelerated/deeper learning but
remember that behavioral protocols like the ones listed here are necessary no matter
what. You don’t have to do all 9 every learning session (although numbers 1, 2, 9 are
non-negotiable).
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