Overview of Huberman Lab Essentials — Essentials: Using Play to Rewire & Improve Your Brain
Andrew Huberman (Stanford) revisits the science and utility of play. This episode reframes play as a lifelong neurobiological tool for testing contingencies, expanding prefrontal cortex capabilities, and driving neuroplasticity. Huberman explains the brain chemistry and circuits behind play, behavioral signs that indicate genuine playfulness, forms of play that best promote learning and plasticity, and practical ways adults can (re)introduce play to improve creativity, learning, and social flexibility.
Key takeaways
- Play = contingency testing in low-stakes environments. It’s how brains explore “if I do A, then B” safely.
- Neurobiology: play depends on endogenous opioids (from the periaqueductal gray/PAG) combined with low epinephrine (adrenaline); this chemical state relaxes defensive rigidity and lets the prefrontal cortex run more algorithms/roles.
- Genuine play requires focused attention but low threat/stress. High adrenaline blocks play circuits.
- Play increases neuroplasticity (BDNF and other growth factors) and therefore helps the brain learn and adapt throughout life.
- Best forms of play for plasticity: novel, dynamic movement (dance, multi-directional sports) and activities that require switching roles/strategies (e.g., chess, role-play).
- Play circuits persist into adulthood — they weren’t pruned away by design. Use them.
Neurobiology of play
- Key brain regions: periaqueductal gray (PAG) in the brainstem and prefrontal cortex (PFC). The PAG releases endogenous opioids (e.g., enkephalins) during play.
- Chemical state for play:
- Elevated endogenous opioids: promotes relaxation, safety signals, and opens PFC flexibility.
- Low epinephrine/adrenaline: prevents stress-induced inhibition of play circuits.
- Dopamine supports motivation/focus; BDNF and other growth factors mediate plasticity during/after play.
- Net effect: the PFC can explore more strategies, roles, and contingencies (i.e., increases its algorithmic repertoire), enabling creativity and learning.
Behavioral signs and “play posture”
- Animals show universal play postures (e.g., dogs/wolves lower head and paw-forward). Humans have analogous cues:
- Head tilt with eyes open
- “Soft eyes” (larger eye aperture, relaxed gaze)
- Slight eyebrow raise, light smile
- Partial postures: mimicking a potentially threatening posture without full aggression (e.g., approaching but keeping body smaller, no piloerection)
- These postures signal low-threat intent and invite play; failures to display or respond to them inform social rigidity or conflict escalation.
Types/forms of play and how they help
- Low-stakes social play: tests social rules, fairness, cooperation, and hierarchical roles; teaches emotional regulation and social flexibility.
- Role play: taking on different roles (leader/follower, different responsibilities) forces the brain to adopt multiple predictive models — powerful for social and cognitive flexibility.
- Dynamic motor play: dance, soccer, martial arts, or any activity with multi-directional movement engages vestibular/cerebellar systems and visual-motor circuits — especially potent for plasticity.
- Cognitive/strategic play: games like chess require players to switch identities/rules mid-game and exercise multiple decision-making modes; good for abstract rule learning and perspective-taking.
- Novelty + low stakes matters more than intensity: doing something new with varied movement or roles is more beneficial than repeating the same linear exercise.
Practical recommendations — how to (re)introduce play
- Aim for low-stakes, focused activities where outcome isn’t critical. Examples:
- Join casual board game nights or low-stakes card games.
- Try dance classes, martial arts, pick-up team sports, or agility-based workouts.
- Play strategy games (chess, role-based board games) that force role switching.
- Try role-play exercises in safe settings (improv, acting, team problem-solving).
- Seek novelty and variability: change speeds, directions, and partners; play with new groups.
- Reduce adrenaline: keep stakes and external pressure low so endogenous-opioid states can emerge.
- Put yourself in situations where you’re not the expert—learn and observe rather than win.
- Schedule play regularly (weekly or more) to maintain ongoing plasticity and social flexibility.
- Use body language to invite play: softer gaze, slight head tilt, relaxed posture.
Personal play identity & development
- Personal play identity is constructed from: how you play, personality, sociocultural/environmental context, and technology/economics.
- Childhood play styles (competitive vs. cooperative, solo vs. group, leader vs. follower) shape adult social and play behavior. Play is part of lifelong development — circuits remain available in adulthood.
- Reflect on your childhood play patterns (ages ~10–14 are formative) to understand current strengths/rigidities and where to expand.
Practical signals you’re “playing correctly”
- You feel engaged and focused but not stressed.
- Physical cues: soft eyes, relaxed posture, subtle head tilt, openness to role changes.
- Low physiological arousal (not a racing heart or high adrenaline).
- Curious mindset: you’re experimenting and learning, not merely trying to win or avoid failure.
Notable quotes / memorable lines
- “Play is contingency testing under conditions where the stakes are sufficiently low that individuals should feel comfortable assuming different roles.”
- “Play is the most powerful portal to plasticity.”
- “If the circuits for play were not important in adulthood, they would have been pruned away.”
References & further listening
- Review cited in episode: In Search of the Neurobiological Substrates for Social Playfulness in Mammalian Brains — Jaak Panksepp & Stephen Siviy (Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews). (Huberman references this review as a good place to start.)
- Chess study mentioned: “Is chess just a game or is it a mirror that reflects a child's inner world?” — Int J Res Educ Sci (2017) — used to illustrate role-switching within a single game.
- Related Huberman episodes: “How to Learn Faster” (discusses vestibular and movement contributions to learning).
- Practical: try novel movement activities, role-based games, chess, and group improvisational exercises.
Actionable summary: to boost brain plasticity and creativity, schedule regular low-stakes play that introduces novelty, role variability, and dynamic movement while keeping stress/adrenaline low. Use play to expand your behavioral repertoire, social flexibility, and capacity for new learning across the lifespan.