<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Neuroplasticity refers to the brain's ability to change in response to experience.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">When we learn, synapses (tiny connections between neurons) are formed.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Repetition strengthens these connections, making skills and information more robust.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Children are naturally more plastic; however, adults can activate neuroplasticity through intentional strategies.</li></ul>

Neuroplasticity: The Foundation of All Learning

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Sleep resets the immune system, metabolism, emotional control, and brain detox.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">It is critical for memory consolidation:</li></ul><ol><li class="ql-align-justify">Short-term memories (hippocampus) are transferred to long-term storage (cortex).</li></ol><ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Before learning: Sleep enhances alertness and encoding.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">After learning: Sleep is essential for memory stabilization.</li></ul>

Sleep: The Cognitive Reset Button

By understanding how your brain learns, you can architect your environment, schedule, and habits to unlock your full cognitive potential.The six learning levers—attention, alertness, sleep, repetition, breaks, and mistakes—are not just tactics; they are biologically optimized tools for sustainable, high-performance learning.

Final Thought

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">One exposure is not enough; the brain needs multiple inputs to prioritize learning.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Repetition signals importance at the cellular level, triggering investment in neural architecture.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Best Practices:</li></ul><ol><li class="ql-align-justify">Repeat learning tasks multiple times in a session.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Use spaced repetition across days.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Emotional salience (fear, joy, surprise) can trigger "one-trial learning."</li></ol>

Repetition: Reinforcing Neural Pathways

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Post-learning breaks facilitate subconscious memory replay at up to 20x speed.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Breaks prevent retrograde interference, where new learning disrupts old memories.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Recommendations:</li></ul><ol><li class="ql-align-justify">10–20 minutes of quiet downtime (no phones) after learning.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Wait at least one hour before learning something similar.</li></ol>

Breaks: Leveraging Subconscious Replay

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Errors trigger release of acetylcholine, sharpening focus and opening neuroplastic windows.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Mistakes also release dopamine upon correction, reinforcing the right action.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Learning Design Strategies:</li></ul><ol><li class="ql-align-justify">Set up controlled failure (e.g., self-quizzes, harder tasks).</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Lean into anxiety—it’s your brain signaling growth.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Avoid walking away after mistakes; re-engage to embed the lesson.</li></ol>

Mistakes: Neurobiological Catalysts for Growth

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Learning requires an alert, engaged brain—driven by activation of the sympathetic nervous system.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Tactical Boosters:</li></ul><ol><li class="ql-align-justify">Short bursts of exercise.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Wim Hof breathing.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Cold showers.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Caffeine (moderately and strategically).</li></ol><ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Alertness follows a 90-minute ultradian rhythm with 8–30 minutes of peak alertness.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Avoid learning post-meals or during dips in alertness.</li></ul>

Alertness: Maximizing Peak Cognitive States

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">The brain can only focus on one thing at a time; multitasking creates measurable attention deficits.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Social media and digital distractions significantly reduce our sustained attention span.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Enhancement Strategies:</li></ul><ol><li class="ql-align-justify">Focused attention meditation.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">20 minutes of moderate exercise before studying boosts cognitive performance for ~2 hours.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Sensory focus exercises (e.g., noticing the pressure of your shoes) train attention.</li></ol>

Attention: The Gateway to Learning

Sharing the secrets to productive learning, backed by neuroscience. Dr Lila Landowski explains the methods which can be used to allow us to learn faster.  Dr Lila Landowski is a multi-award winning neuroscientist and lecturer that expertly arms people with an understanding of how their brain works, to help them make better choices in their lives. She is also a Director of the Australian Society for Medical Research, a Director of Epilepsy Tasmania, as well as a regular guest expert science communicator for the ABC. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

personaldevelopment

Personal Development

strategy

Strategy

education

Learning & Education

mentalhealth

Mental Health

videos

Videos

TEDx is an international community that organizes TED-style events anywhere and everywhere -- celebrating locally-driven ideas and elevating them to a global stage. TEDx events are produced independently of TED conferences, each event curates speakers on their own, but based on TED's format and rules.

TED's videos may be used for non-commercial purposes under a Creative Commons License, Attribution–Non Commercial–No Derivatives (or the CC BY – NC – ND 4.0 International) and in accordance with our TED Talks Usage Policy (https://www.ted.com/about/our-organization/our-policies-terms/ted-talks-usage-policy). 

For more information on using TED for commercial purposes (e.g. employee learning, in a film or online course), please submit a Media Request here: https://media-requests.ted.com.