Neuroplasticity occurs during sleep, not wakefulness, and involves strengthening neural circuits highlighted by acetylcholine transmission and weakening others.

“Now that's the trigger for plasticity, but the real secret is that neuroplasticity doesn't occur during wakefulness. It occurs during sleep. We now know that if you focus very hard on something for about 90 minutes or so, maybe you even do several bouts of that per day. If you can do that, some people can, some people can only do one focus about of learning, that night and the following nights, while you're asleep the neural circuits that were highlighted if you will with acetylcholine transmission will strengthen and other will be lost, which is wonderful because that's the essence of plasticity.”