Using Play to Rewire & Improve Your Brain

The Power of Play

• Play is important for both children and adults
• Enhances nervous system, improves performance in various activities
• Allows exploration of new ways of being in different scenarios
• Assuming different identities during play can lead to more creative thinking and better leadership skills
• Proper play can enhance focus and is being researched for ADHD treatment

Reading on Smartphones vs. Paper

• Study published in Scientific Reports
• 34 healthy individuals read material on a smartphone or on paper
• Comprehension on smartphones was much worse than on paper
• Physiological sighing (deep double inhale followed by long exhale) suppressed while reading on smartphones
• Prefrontal cortex becomes hyperactive in an attempt to focus

Recommendations for Reading

• Engage in physiological sighs every 5 minutes while reading on a smartphone
• For important material, read from a larger screen or printed materials
• Widen the visual window for better learning and memory retention

The Importance of Play

• Play is homeostatically regulated
• All young animals, including humans, engage in more spontaneous play in their earlier years
• Play is about testing and expanding potential roles in interactions
• Play is generated through the connectivity of many brain areas, including the periaqueductal gray (PAG)

Jacques Panksepp and the Biology of Play

• Pioneered the understanding of the biology of play and its relation to psychology in animals and humans
• Known as the “rat tickler” for discovering laughter in response to tickling in rodents and other animals
• Found that most animals laugh at ultrasonic levels of auditory output

Endogenous Opioids and Play

• Play evokes small amounts of opioid release into the system
• Endogenous opioids are released in children and adults during play
• Opioid release allows the prefrontal cortex to explore different roles and contingencies in a safe environment

The Role of Play in Brain Development

• Play helps develop executive function in the prefrontal cortex
• Executive function is the ability to make predictions and assess contingencies
• Play allows for exploration of different roles and situations in a safe environment
  The Importance of Play
• Play is homeostatic, meaning we all need to do it 
• Play allows children and adults to explore different outcomes in a low-​​stakes environment
• Play is contingency testing, exploring different roles and situations

The Toddler’s Creed

• Poem by Burton White, reflecting the self-​​centered worldview of toddlers
• As children grow and interact with others, they learn to share and cooperate through play

Play in Development

• Play helps children transition from being self-​​centered to understanding the importance of sharing and cooperation
• Play allows for exploration of different roles and situations in a low-​​stakes environment
• Play helps develop social skills and understanding of group dynamics

Types of Play

• Role play
• Social play
• Individual play
• Imaginary play
• Competitive play

Personal Play Identity

• The identity that individuals assume in playful scenarios
• Can be adjusted throughout one’s lifespan to benefit work, relationships, and overall happiness

Benefits of Play

• Expands the number of operations the prefrontal cortex can run
• Encourages exploration of new possibilities and interactions with the environment
• Enhances creativity, emotional intelligence, and social skills
  Play and the Playful Mindset
• Play is a low-​​stakes way to explore new possibilities and engage the prefrontal cortex 
• Playful mindset allows for expanding the number of outcomes one is willing to entertain
• Engaging in play can increase prefrontal cortical plasticity

Play Postures

• Play postures are seen in animals and humans
• Examples of play postures:
• Dogs and wolves: lowering head to the ground, paws out in front, making eye contact (play bow)
• Humans: subtle head tilt, open eyes, raised eyebrows
• Soft eyes: opening eyelids somewhat, pursing lips slightly
• Partial postures: play enactment of postures that would otherwise be threatening
• Approaching each other with fur down in animals, or making body smaller in humans
• High-​​stakes play (e.g., competitive sports) does not involve these partial postures

Engaging in Play

• Engaging in play can help one learn about themselves and others
• Play can be beneficial for those who do not consider themselves particularly playful
• Play can help open up prefrontal cortex circuits, allowing for more flexibility and adaptability in various scenarios
  Play and Social Dynamics
• Universal human expression for play: head tilt, raised eyebrows, slight smile 
• Extreme play expression in primates: eyes wide open, tongue out
• Purpose of these expressions: limit power, show non-​​aggressive intentions
• Play involves low-​​stakes testing and rule-breaking
• Role play helps establish hierarchies and social dynamics

Examples of Play in Children and Animals

• Dirt Claw Wars: children throwing dirt clods at each other, with unspoken rules
• Puppies biting each other: learning soft bite through feedback from littermates
• Role play: children taking on different roles, such as leader and follower
• Imaginary friends: a way for children to engage in cooperative play or take on a leadership role

Biology and Neurochemistry of Play

• Play helps expand the brain’s capacity and prefrontal cortex function
• Periacductal gray: brain area that releases endogenous opioids, leading to relaxation and play behaviors
• Effective play involves exploring different contingencies in low-​​stakes environments and expanding the brain’s capacity for creativity and flexibility
  The Power of Play and Neuroplasticity
• Play is essential for engaging neuroplasticity and expanding our brain’s capabilities 
• Low levels of adrenaline and endogenous opioids are necessary for a state of playfulness
• Playfulness allows for better performance and exploration of novel behaviors

Play as a Portal to Plasticity

• Play is a natural tool for triggering neuroplasticity at any age
• Play helps us learn the rules for different stages of life and test our functioning in real-​​world contexts
• High opioid, low adrenaline state opens up play, leading to the release of brain-​​derived neurotrophic factor and other growth factors that trigger rewiring of brain circuits

Expanding Forms of Play

• Engage in different forms of play with new groups of individuals
• Play in teams, one-​​on-​​one, or alone to stimulate brain growth and learning
• Play is a powerful way to keep the brain young and improve cognitive, emotional, and relational skills

Resources

• Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews: “In search of the neurobiological substrates for social playfulness in mammalian brains” by Yak Pengsept and Stephen Sivi
• Book: “Spark” by John Rady, discussing the role of play in neuroplasticity and various protocols to engage in
  Neuroplasticity and Play
• Neuroplasticity: the brain and nervous system’s ability to change in response to experience 
• Negative experiences can lead to quick changes in the nervous system (one trial learning) 
  • Example: a traumatic experience at a swimming pool can lead to a fear of swimming
• Learning new things and new contingencies occurs differently from birth to age 25 and thereafter 
  • From birth to age 25: can learn through passive exposure to experiences 
    • Developing brain has more overconnected neurons, allowing for easier learning
  • From age 25 onward: neuroplasticity occurs through focus and rest 
    • Focus intensely on a new skill or information, then rest (sleep or nap) to allow for rewiring

Play and Lifelong Learning

• Animals that engage in playful behaviors for a longer period have greater neuroplasticity
• Adults who maintain a playful stance and engage in low-​​stakes, focused activities may experience ongoing plasticity
• Examples of playful individuals who continued to evolve and learn throughout their lives: 
  • Richard Feynman: Nobel Prize-​​winning physicist, tinkerer, and lifelong learner
  • Banksy: street artist known for using cities and art in playful, innovative ways

Benefits of Play

• Establishes a broader framework for learning new things
• Encourages creativity and exploration
• Reduces rigidity and attachment to outcomes
• Can lead to greater neuroplasticity and lifelong learning
  Neuroplasticity and Play
• Play is the fundamental portal to neuroplasticity 
• Early in development, neural connections are more extensive 
  • Pruning: removal of incorrect connections and strengthening of necessary connections
  • 40% of neural connections disappear by the time you’re 25 years old
• Play helps establish neural connections and behaviors in adulthood 
  • Fire together, wire together: strengthening neural connections through play
• Trauma and stress can inhibit neuroplasticity by inhibiting play 
  • High levels of adrenaline from trauma and stress can shut down play circuits
  • Trauma therapies often involve exploring different emotional experiences and engaging in play
• Engaging in play as adults can reactivate neural circuits and reopen plasticity 
  • Dance and exploration of novel movements can help access new ways of thinking

Choosing Play Activities

• Keep adrenaline low and stakes low enough to not be consumed by the outcome
• Competitive play can be enjoyable if it doesn’t cause high levels of stress
• Choose activities that bring joy and engage in them regularly to promote neuroplasticity
  Leveraging Play for Neuroplasticity
• Play can expand the brain’s ability to change and learn new things 
• Engage in activities that allow you to adopt different roles and explore various movements
• Examples: dance, sports like soccer, chess, martial arts
• Novelty and exploration of new behaviors and ways of thinking open the portal to plasticity

Personal Play Identity

• Coined by Turkish researcher Gokan Gunes
• Four components: how you play, your personality, socio-​​culture and environment, economics and technology
• Personal play identity affects how we see ourselves and react to different play scenarios throughout life
• Reflect on your childhood play preferences to understand your personal play identity
• Competitive or cooperative
• Preferred playing alone, with a few close friends, or in large groups
• Comfortable with switching roles, teams, or adapting to rule changes
  Personal Play Identity
• Personal play identity: how we played and interacted with others during early adolescence (10–14 years old) 
• Influences how we show up in various activities in work and relationships as adults
• Developmental biology and psychology: our entire lifespan is one long developmental arc

Importance of Play

• Play is a fundamental, homeostatically regulated aspect of our nervous system
• Can change our brain for the better at every stage of life
• Engaging in at least 1 hour of pure play per week is recommended 
  • Should be novel and not something we are already exceptionally good at
  • Low stakes, free-​​form exploration
• Play can be uncomfortable, but the goal is to lower discomfort by focusing less on outcomes and more on engaging in the behavior

Resources for Play

• Book: “Play it Away: A Workaholic’s Cure for Anxiety” by Charlie Hone

Neurobiological Explanation for Play

• We have brain circuits from back to front and within our body that are there for play
• These circuits do not disappear or get pruned away as we go from development to adulthood
• Biology does not waste resources; if the circuits for play were not important in adulthood, they would have been pruned away
• Suggestion: use these circuits for play for 1 hour per week