How Your Brain Works & Changes

Neurons communicate through electrical signals that travel down their length. They release chemicals across small gaps called synapses, which are then detected by the next neuron, passing the signal along.

During World War I, treatments for battlefield injuries improved survival rates. Specific bullet trajectories created localized brain lesions, allowing neurologists to correlate damaged brain regions with specific functional deficits, like problems recognizing faces or processing language.

The nervous system's primary functions are sensation (receiving input), perception (focusing on and interpreting sensations), feelings/emotions (influenced by neuromodulators), thoughts (drawing on past, present, and future), and actions/behaviors (the physical output of neural activity).

Sensation is the raw input from our senses, which is always happening. Perception, however, is focused sensation that we pay attention to. Your attention acts like a spotlight, determining which sensations become part of your conscious awareness.

Neuromodulators like dopamine and serotonin are chemicals that bias neural activity, influencing our emotional states. Dopamine is linked to motivation and pursuit, while serotonin is associated with contentment. Imbalances can lead to mood disorders or influence motivation and appetite.

Reflexive actions, like walking unconsciously, are 'bottom up' processes driven by incoming sensory data. Deliberate actions, like carefully speaking or learning, are 'top down' processes that require focused attention, effort, and engage higher brain functions.

Neuroplasticity is the brain's ability to change its neural connections. It is triggered by experiences that involve intense focus, effort, and a feeling of agitation or strain, often facilitated by neuromodulators like epinephrine and acetylcholine.

While the trigger for neuroplasticity happens during focused learning or intense experience, the actual rewiring and strengthening of neural connections primarily occurs during periods of sleep and non-sleep deep rest.

The autonomic nervous system manages the balance between alertness (sympathetic system) and calmness (parasympathetic system). This seesaw state governs our ability to focus for learning and deliberate actions, and to transition into rest and sleep.

Ultradian rhythms are cycles shorter than 24 hours, with the most significant being the 90-minute cycle of attention and focus. Understanding and working within these cycles throughout the day is crucial for optimal learning and neuroplasticity.

Pay attention to your daily energy and focus levels, understanding that optimal focus and learning often align with the peaks of your 90-minute ultradian cycles. Structure demanding tasks within these periods and allow for rest during the troughs.