2. Learning is All About Connections

We’ve talked about the fact that effective learning requires training the subconscious. But how, physically, does the brain learn, meaning what are the actual changes in brain structure that underlie learning new things? Essentially, the brain learns by making connections.

The brain is a network. This network is made up of nerve cells. These nerve cells work by transmitting electrical signals to one another. The patterns in which these electrical signals get transmitted determine our thoughts (OK, so it’s a little more complicated than this… but we’ll ignore that for now). The pattern of electrical signaling in our brains is determined by the nature of the connections between nerve cells. The brain is like an incredibly complex spider web, with billions of nerve cells all woven together with trillions of different types of connections. The precise nature of these connections governs the way we think.

In the first part of this section, we talked about the idea that learning requires building subconscious programs in the brain. The way these programs get built is by making new connections between nerve cells. It’s an incredible process. Whenever we practice a new skill, nerves in our brain literally start sending out arms to other nerves to form new connections. How our brains know what connections they need to make in order to learn to touch type or write better poetry is a bit of a mystery. Somehow our brains do know, and they make the right connections for us to learn.

So what’s the point? How does knowing all of this help anyone learn more efficiently? Critically, our brains need our help to make connections efficiently. The single most important thing we can do to allow our brains to make connections is to get enough sleep. Your brain doesn’t rewire itself while you’re awake. (possibly because of the consequences if it did. You don’t rewire a computer while it's on…) The physical changes in the brain that form the basis of  learning (building new connections between nerve cells) happen while we sleep. As a result, missing out on sleep cripples our ability to learn.

In addition to adequate sleep, our brains require the right nutrients to make connections efficiently, allowing us to learn as effectively as possible. Healthy fats, adequate protein intake, and the right vitamins and minerals are all necessary to get the most out of your brain. See Simple Enjoyable Healthy Eating for some general advice on nutrition, or sign up for your free ReEvolution Health and Fitness Action Plan, which includes an individualized nutrition strategy. Ultimately, your brain and body are tied together, and you can’t have an optimally healthy, high performance brain without a health body.