This is the incredible way your brain makes room for you to learn more. There is an old saying in neuroscience that says "Neurons that pulsate at the same time, are connected to each other." This means that the more we use specific neural pathways in our mind, the stronger the circuit they compose becomes. This is why another old saying goes, "practice makes us perfect." The more we practice a musical instrument, a language, a trick or anything similar, the stronger the circuits in the mind that are responsible for these functions.
However, nowadays researchers are discovering another aspect of this truth: To learn something, even more important than practice is the ability to unravel or break the old neural connections that regulate things that are no longer useful to us. This is called "synaptic pruning" and below you will see how it works. Your mind is like a garden Imagine your mind like a garden, where instead of growing flowers, fruits and vegetables, you cultivate synaptic connections between neurons. These are the connections that neurotransmitters, such as dopamine, serotonin and others, travel along.
"Glial cells" are the gardeners of the brain and act to accelerate signals between specific neurons. There are other more specialized neuroglial cells that remove garbage, uproot weeds, kill parasites, dig the soil. These essential "gardeners" of your brain are called "microglial cells." Their job is to "prune" the synaptic connections.
The question is, how do they know which one to prune? Researchers are only now beginning to unravel this mystery, but what they do know is that the synaptic bonds used are less "marked" by one protein, C1q (and others). When microglial cells detect this protein, they attach to it and destroy (or prune if you will) that particular synapse. In this way the free space is created in the brain to build new and stronger connections so that we can learn more. Why sleep is so important Your brain cleanses itself when you sleep! Sometimes when you can learn something new, or start a new job or hobby you may feel that your mind is full and there is no room for other ideas and skills. Well, that's literally the case.
When you learn a lot of new things new to you, your brain builds connections, but many others remain inactive and inadequate. Your brain needs to prune many of these connections and build more efficient and effective paths in their place. It does this when we sleep. When you sleep, brain cells shrink by up to 60% to make room for glial cells to reach and remove waste. This is how the synapses are pruned. When we wake up after a restful night we are able to think clearly and quickly.
It's like reconstructing fragmented computer files. For the same reason, a short nap during the day is beneficial for your cognitive abilities. A nap for 10 or 20 minutes gives microglial cells the opportunity to travel to long-distance unused connections, destroy them, and leave room for new ones to grow. Doing spiritual work with sleep deprivation is like trying to make your way through a dense jungle with just a knife. In this verdant environment the steps of progress will be slow and tedious. On the contrary, when you think while your brain is resting, it is like wandering comfortably in a large park. The paths are clear and demarcated and are connected to each other in clear places, the trees are in place, you can see the path hundreds of meters in front of you. It is quite refreshing.
Here's how to put one together for use with your Theory of Thrones and much less about what works for you. Guess which synapses will be labeled for recycling. If you are at odds with someone at work and you devote your time to how you will avenge them, and not to the projects and ideas you have in progress, you will form a large web with synaptic avenues of imaginative revenge scenarios, but poor synapses for the projects that will lead to bad inventions. What we focus on, that prevails! You can literally navigate your mind and choose what you want it to be, paying attention to the direction of its implementation. Of course, you can not control everything that happens to you during the day, but you can control how much they affect you.
To be more specific, you can choose what you like and build your own neural connections to implement it. Instead of dwelling on the things that make you stand out, focus on the things that can make you a better person. Instead of imagining scenarios that will probably never happen, meditate.
Clear your mind. Bring your mind to the now and use your psychic energy to the path that benefits you. It really is a strategy game. You have to use your mind smartly, be smart. Resist the temptation to do things that do not benefit you, this is what will make you smarter. To delete something, just stop thinking about it. Even when someone else reminds you, focus your attention elsewhere. Sooner or later it will get in the way and be labeled to be recycled.
Source: "What do you say now"