Modern WisdomHow To Maximise Your Brain's Performance - Louisa Nicola
CHAPTERS
- 0:00 – 5:48
NeuroAthletics: applying neuroscience to performance (sports + finance)
Louisa Nicola explains how she founded NeuroAthletics to address a gap in performance training: most programs focus on speed and agility, but not the brain that drives the system. She also describes how her work expanded from elite athletes into high-stakes finance professionals who face similar cognitive demands.
- •NeuroAthletics sits at the intersection of neuroscience and athletic performance
- •Why brain training is a missing lever in traditional performance programs
- •Expansion from pro sports (MLS/NFL/NBA) into finance clients
- •Common traits across athletes and traders: competitiveness, high stakes, and sleep loss
- 5:48 – 6:26
What a “high-performing brain” means: hardware vs software
Louisa defines brain performance through both “hardware” (brain integrity, injury, pathology) and “software” (thoughts, cognition, reaction time, decision-making). She frames her work as improving and measuring both sides, rather than focusing only on physical outputs.
- •Hardware: physical brain health (e.g., concussion effects, structural/degenerative risk)
- •Software: cognitive function—thinking, feeling, reaction time, visual processing
- •Performance depends on measurable brain set points across domains
- •Brain performance shows up as faster, cleaner information processing
- 6:26 – 9:37
Measuring brain function with EEG and task-based performance
The discussion moves into how Louisa measures progress: baseline EEG assessments and tasks that capture brain activity during real performance. She shares examples ranging from NBA training sessions to monitoring traders’ decision quality over time.
- •Baseline testing and re-testing to track progress month to month
- •Hospital-grade EEG used while subjects perform tasks (not just resting scans)
- •Example: measuring brain states during NBA jump-shot training
- •Using patterns to correlate good vs bad decisions (e.g., traders)
- 9:37 – 13:40
Core principles to maximize brain performance: hydration, consistency, omega-3s
Louisa lays out foundational levers that are often overlooked: hydration with electrolytes, consistent daily rhythms, and nutritional support for the brain. She highlights omega-3s (EPA/DHA) as a cornerstone due to brain composition and inflammation reduction.
- •Hydration + electrolytes support neural firing via sodium-potassium pump
- •Consistency in sleep/wake and routines reduces ‘shock’ to the system
- •EPA/DHA are emphasized for brain structure and lowering inflammation
- •Supplement quality and manufacturing standards matter (e.g., fish oil freshness)
- 13:40 – 16:13
Sleep-support supplements & stacks: magnesium L-threonate, GABA, and caveats
They dive into sleep-focused supplementation, particularly magnesium L-threonate for crossing the blood–brain barrier and calming the nervous system. Louisa discusses when GABA might help (racing mind), while noting limits in her ability to comment on 5-HTP.
- •Magnesium L-threonate as a preferred form for brain effects
- •GABA as an option for those with racing thoughts at night
- •Pragmatic dosing: follow reputable product guidance
- •5-HTP is commonly asked about, but Louisa doesn’t personally use it
- 16:13 – 19:59
Brain-training and fitness protocols: Zone 2, reaction drills, coordination
Louisa describes exercise approaches that improve cognitive and neural performance, starting with aerobic base building through Zone 2 training. She also explains practical “neuro” drills like tennis-ball wall throws, single-leg balance, and coordination challenges that stress attention and reflexes.
- •Zone 2 training to improve mitochondrial quality and longevity
- •Suggested Zone 2 dose: ~3x/week for ~50–60 minutes
- •Reaction training with simple tools (tennis ball, lights, wall throws)
- •Adding balance/contralateral movements to increase neural demand
- 19:59 – 22:07
HRV: what it reflects and how sleep sets the ceiling
Chris and Louisa unpack what heart rate variability indicates about adaptability and recovery. Louisa emphasizes that wearables often measure HRV during sleep, making sleep quality and deep sleep a primary driver of higher baseline HRV.
- •HRV as a proxy for autonomic nervous system balance and recovery
- •Food, alcohol, drugs, and recovery behaviors can destabilize HRV
- •Sleep consistency and quality are key to raising HRV over time
- •Wearables sample HRV during sleep, tying improvements to sleep stages
- 22:07 – 27:46
Sleep’s impact on brain and body: genes, immunity, hormones, learning
Louisa details how insufficient sleep changes biology rapidly, including gene expression linked to immune function and inflammation. She connects deep sleep to growth hormone/testosterone release and REM sleep to learning and memory consolidation—both essential for performance and clarity.
- •Study cited: restricting sleep to 6 hours for a week altered 711 genes
- •Downregulated genes relate to immunity; upregulated relate to inflammation/tumor pathways
- •Deep (slow-wave) sleep supports growth hormone and testosterone release
- •REM sleep supports learning and memory consolidation; lack leads to brain fog/irritability
- 27:46 – 32:20
Sleep debt, compliance, and buy-in: why traders may be more obedient than athletes
They discuss whether sleep debt can be repaid and the pitfalls of ‘binge sleeping.’ Louisa explains that some elite athletes resist improvement because they’re already successful, while traders often comply due to direct, individual financial consequences—plus both groups face travel/jet lag issues.
- •Louisa argues sleep isn’t a ‘bank’ you can repay after losing it
- •Too much sleep appears less harmful than chronic sleep restriction
- •Surprising insight: traders may adhere more strictly than some athletes
- •Jet lag and travel complicate routines; consistency differs across industries
- 32:20 – 38:01
Minimum viable pre-bed routine: food timing, caffeine cutoff, and light control
Louisa offers an approachable pre-bed routine focused on high-leverage behaviors rather than perfection. Key steps include stopping food intake well before bedtime, limiting caffeine after midday, and reducing nighttime light exposure (with cautious support for blue-blocking glasses).
- •Avoid eating ~3 hours before bed to reduce digestion/cortisol disruption
- •Caffeine cutoff: ideally no caffeine past ~12 PM
- •Reduce bright/light exposure especially between ~10 PM and 4 AM
- •Blue-light glasses may help somewhat, but don’t block everything
- 38:01 – 42:01
Falling asleep vs staying asleep: temperature, quiet time, and mouth taping
Louisa distinguishes sleep latency problems from night awakenings, since they require different solutions. She emphasizes core body temperature reduction for sleep quality, suggests small daily “silence breaks,” and discusses mouth taping and nasal breathing aids (with safety caveats).
- •Diagnose: trouble falling asleep vs trouble staying asleep
- •Core temperature needs to drop; cooling mattresses (e.g., Eight Sleep) can help
- •Simple compliance tool: 10 minutes of silence in the afternoon
- •Mouth taping to reduce mouth-breathing (avoid if breathing issues); nasal strips discussed
- 42:01 – 45:18
Staying calm under pressure: anchors, physiological sighs, and execution in the moment
Louisa explains pressure-management as a mix of consistent training and reliable in-the-moment protocols. She describes using anchors like clicking drills and breathing techniques (double inhale/exhale) and notes that the real challenge is deploying these tools when stress peaks.
- •Pressure control relies on repeatable protocols built through consistency
- •Anchors (e.g., clicking drills) interrupt spiraling thoughts and redirect attention
- •Breathing tools like the physiological sigh can downshift arousal
- •Coaching example: pre-game support for an anxious NBA player
- 45:18 – 54:33
Cold & heat exposure: inflammation, focus, dosing, and timing around training
The conversation turns to cold immersion and heat exposure benefits, including inflammation reduction and norepinephrine-driven focus. Louisa shares her cold plunge preferences and cautions against cold immediately post-training due to blunting hypertrophy signals; they also discuss sauna/hot bath protocols and skepticism around rapid contrast cycling.
- •Cold immersion may reduce systemic and neural inflammation; boosts norepinephrine for focus
- •Avoid cold exposure right after training to preserve hypertrophy signaling
- •Protocol discussed: ~9–12 minutes, ideally several times per week (Louisa does more)
- •Heat exposure via sauna or hot bath (~20+ minutes) for cardiovascular and heat-shock benefits; contrast therapy evidence debated
- 54:33 – 56:44
Psychedelics and performance: promising for depression, unclear for sport enhancement
Louisa discusses her research and writing on psychedelics, emphasizing excitement for clinical depression treatment rather than athletic performance gains. They explore microdosing, creativity, and anecdotes (like a baseball performance on LSD) while stressing dosage and clinical oversight.
- •Louisa supports psychedelics mainly for clinical mental health treatment
- •Limited evidence (in her view) connecting psychedelics to sports performance
- •Anecdotes exist; microdosing may affect creativity and mental state
- •Dosage and controlled, professional settings are essential considerations
- 56:44 – 1:00:32
Advanced neuro-drills: contralateral work, eye patches, strobe goggles, and balance
They return to specific brain-training mechanics: contralateral movement patterns, vision restriction to strengthen scanning, and strobe/segmented-vision goggles to overload visual processing. Louisa links balance training to cerebellar function and broader brain health.
- •Contralateral wiring: left brain controls right body (and vice versa)
- •Eye patch drills to strengthen visual scanning and processing under constraint
- •Programmable strobe/segmented goggles to overload specific visual quadrants
- •Balance as a brain-health marker via cerebellum training
- 1:00:32 – 1:01:15
Where to find Louisa: social links and Substack
Louisa shares where listeners can follow her work and get more detailed brain performance content. Chris closes out the episode with final thanks and show notes-style directions.
- •Instagram: Louisa Nicola / handle the_diamond_boss
- •Substack: neuroathletics.substack.com for brain health and performance content
- •Episode wrap-up and sign-off
