Welcome

Welcome to the Learning Clock. This tool is designed in accordance with Dr. Andrew Huberman’s innovative learning protocols, as detailed on hubermanlab.com.

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1. GET ALERT

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.

When you are ready move to the next protocol!

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2. GET FOCUSED

To increase your level of focus please focus at the red dot on the screen until the "Continue" button appears.

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3. GENERATE REPETITIONS

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 reflexive 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.

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4. EXPECT & EMBRACE ERRORS

Provided they don’t comprise safety, errors during learning are terrific 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 difficult we should make a task. But don’t worry too much about those specifics. 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.

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5. Start the learning

A clock counter will start. This will limit your learning session to 90 minutes. During this session you micro-rest intervals and rewards would be introduced.

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Congratulations!

You have successfully completed your 90-minute learning session. Great job!

After a learning bout, Do a NSDR!

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

Get quality & sufficiently deep sleep

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.