Huberman Lab

Using Play to Rewire & Improve Your Brain

Feb 7, 2022

43:43:23

Creator website

AI Summary

AI Chapters

Episode notes

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Play can rewire the brain and enhance neuroplasticity at any age.

Reading on smartphones negatively affects comprehension and physiological sighing.

Role play in low-stakes environments contributes to the development of personal play identity and offers valuable learning experiences.

Engaging in playfulness and adopting a playful mindset fosters creativity, social interactions, and personal growth.

Deep dives

The Power of Play

Play is not just for children, but adults also benefit from it. Play has the ability to positively impact the nervous system and improve performance in various activities. It allows individuals to explore new roles and scenarios, leading to increased creativity, dynamic thinking, and better leadership skills. Play is also linked to improved focus and has been studied for its potential in treating attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Engaging in proper play at any stage of life can enhance neural circuits and unlock the power of play.

The Benefits of Playing for Low Stakes

01:01:33

The Low Stakes Feature of Play

01:01:18

Play Is The Key To Growth And Development

01:01:21

NaN:NaN

Introduction

2min

The Huberman Lab Podcast Has Partnered With Momentous Supplements

3min

Reading on a Smart Phone Doesn't Supress Physiological Sighing

4min

How Does Your Visual Window Affect Learning?

2min

The Power of Play Podcast

2min

Inside Tracker - Get 20 % Off to Day's Episode

2min

What Is the Utility of Play?

2min

Sleep and Wakefulness Are in Homeostatic Balance

2min

Play Is a Key to the Opioid Crisis

2min

10.

Playing the Role Playing Game

2min

11.

Play as a Child Activity

2min

12.

The Child's Creed Definition

2min

13.

Burton White's Toddlers Creed

2min

14.

Play Is Contingency Testing in a Low Stakes Environment

4min

15.

Play Is Powerful at Making Your Pre Frontal Cortex More Plastic

2min

16.

Play Possibilities in Animals and Humans

2min

17.

What Are Partial Possessments?

2min

18.

Playing a Football Game, Is It Really Competitive?

2min

19.

Old World Primates Are the Little Ones

3min

20.

The Dirt Clod War

1min

21.

Do We Learn Proper Play Contingency?

2min

22.

The Role of Role Play in the Brain

3min

23.

Playfulness in Mammalian Brains

4min

24.

The State of Playfulness Is Critical

3min

25.

The Power of Play in Engineering

3min

26.

Play Is the Portal to Plasticity

1min

27.

Play Is the Most Powerful Portal to Neroplasticity

2min

28.

Playfulness Is Not About Learning Something for Sake of School

3min

29.

Playfulness in Art and Science

2min

30.

The Utility of Play

4min

31.

The Development of the Brain Through Passive Experience

5min

32.

Do Stress and Trama Inhibit Neuroplasticity?

2min

33.

Trama Treatments - What Are They and How Do They Work?

2min

34.

Play Isn't Just One Portal to Plasticity

2min

35.

Can You Be Competitive During Play?

2min

36.

Play and Neuroplasticity

2min

37.

Playing for Neuroplasticity

2min

38.

Play Induces Neuroplasticity

2min

39.

Personal Play Identity and the Fundamental Elements in Its Developmental Process

5min

40.

Play Is the Substrait by Which the Human Nervous System Changes

2min

41.

Play Can Change Your Brain for the Better

3min

42.

The Brain Circuits for Play Are There

2min

In this episode, I discuss the transformative nature of play—how it changes our feelings, thoughts and actions and indeed, how it can rewire our brain to function better in all contexts. I explain the role of play in childhood, as well as adulthood in skill and social development and describe key characteristics of the mind and body during play. Additionally, I explore how play allows the brain to test contingencies in different roles/environments. Throughout, I discuss the underlying neurobiology of play. I also describe how low-stakes play, and tinkering can broaden and shape your future capabilities. Finally, I discuss how our childhood ‘personal play identity’ informs our adult personality. Throughout the episode, I use the science of play to outline recommendations for using play as a means to enhance neuroplasticity and explore novel situations, regardless of age.

For the full show notes, visit hubermanlab.com.

Thank you to our sponsors

AG1 (Athletic Greens): https://athleticgreens.com/huberman

LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/huberman

Supplements from Momentous

https://www.livemomentous.com/huberman

Timestamps

(00:00:00) The Power of Play

(00:02:23) Tool: Reading on Smart Phones, Sighing & Learning

(00:09:33) Sponsors: AG1, LMNT

(00:13:57) Homeostatic Regulation of Play

(00:23:53) Childhood Play & Mindsets

(00:29:21) Contingency Testing

(00:32:17) The (Power of) Playful Mindset

(00:36:13) Body Postures

(00:44:03) Rule Testing & Breaking

(00:48:24) Role Play

(00:50:39) Neurobiology of Low-stakes Play

(00:54:22) Expanding Capabilities through Tinkering

(01:00:03) Play Is THE Portal to Neuroplasticity

(01:04:44) Adulthood Play

(01:10:14) Fire Together, Wire Together

(01:18:03) Trauma & Play Deficits & Recovery

(01:23:25) Competition & Dynamic Movement

(01:27:36) Chess, Mental Roles, Novelty

(01:32:52) Personal Play Identity

(01:37:24) Play Transforms Your Future Self

(01:40:55) Recommendations for Play

(01:44:25) Zero-Cost Support, Spotify/Apple Reviews, YouTube, Sponsors, Instagram, Twitter, Supplements

Title Card Photo Credit: Mike Blabac

Disclaimer

Get the Snipd
podcast app

Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.

AI-powered
podcast player

Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features

Discover
highlights

Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode

Save any
moment

Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways

Share
& Export

Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more

AI-powered
podcast player

Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features

Discover
highlights

Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode

Huberman Lab

Using Play to Rewire & Improve Your Brain

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Deep dives

The Power of Play

The Influence of Devices on Learning

The Development of Play and Role Play

Effective Play and the Benefits of Playfulness

Play as a portal to plasticity

The importance of low levels of adrenaline and high levels of endogenous opioids

The state of playfulness for optimal performance

Personal play identity and its impact

The Benefits of Playing for Low Stakes

The Low Stakes Feature of Play

Play Is The Key To Growth And Development

Thank you to our sponsors

Supplements from Momentous

Timestamps

Get the Snipd
podcast app

AI-powered
podcast player

Discover
highlights

Save any
moment

Share
& Export

AI-powered
podcast player

Discover
highlights

Episode highlights

The Benefits of Playing for Low Stakes

The Low Stakes Feature of Play

Play Is The Key To Growth And Development

Huberman Lab

Using Play to Rewire & Improve Your Brain

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Deep dives

The Power of Play

The Influence of Devices on Learning

The Development of Play and Role Play

Effective Play and the Benefits of Playfulness

Play as a portal to plasticity

The importance of low levels of adrenaline and high levels of endogenous opioids

The state of playfulness for optimal performance

Personal play identity and its impact

The Benefits of Playing for Low Stakes

The Low Stakes Feature of Play

Play Is The Key To Growth And Development

Thank you to our sponsors

Supplements from Momentous

Timestamps

Get the Snipdpodcast app

AI-poweredpodcast player

Discoverhighlights

Save anymoment

Share& Export

AI-poweredpodcast player

Discoverhighlights

Episode highlights

The Benefits of Playing for Low Stakes

The Low Stakes Feature of Play

Play Is The Key To Growth And Development

Get the Snipd
podcast app

AI-powered
podcast player

Discover
highlights

Save any
moment

Share
& Export

AI-powered
podcast player

Discover
highlights