Neuroplasticity: why it is never too late for your brain to change

For decades it was believed that the adult brain was fixed. Today we know the brain reorganises itself with every experience, every lesson and even every repeated thought. This is called neuroplasticity.

Therapy means re-training the brain

When you practise a new way of thinking in therapy, the neural networks behind it grow stronger while old pathways of worry and rumination fade. That is why practice between sessions matters so much.

Three habits for a more flexible brain

• Enough sleep: learning is consolidated during deep sleep.
• Movement: aerobic exercise increases neural growth factors.
• Learning something new: from a language to an instrument — every challenge builds a new pathway.

Change is slower than we would like — but it is always possible.