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NeuroSkill Guided Protocols

optional-skills/health/neuroskill-bci/references/protocols.md

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NeuroSkill Guided Protocols

Over 70 mind-body practices triggered by specific biometric (EXG) signals. These are sourced from NeuroLoop's protocol repertoire and are designed to be suggested when the system detects specific cognitive or physiological states.

⚠️ Contraindication: Wim Hof and hyperventilation-style breathwork are unsuitable for epilepsy_risk > 30, known cardiac conditions, or pregnancy.

When to Suggest Protocols

Always ask before starting. Match ONE protocol to the single most salient metric signal. Explain the metric connection to the user.

User StateRecommended Protocol
Focus < 0.40, TBR > 1.5Theta-Beta Neurofeedback Anchor or Box Breathing
Low engagement, session startWOOP or Pre-Task Priming
Relaxation < 0.30, stress_index highCardiac Coherence or 4-7-8 Breathing
Cognitive Load > 0.70 sustainedCognitive Load Offload (Mind Dump)
Engagement < 0.30 for > 20 minNovel Stimulation Burst or Environment Change
Flow State (focus > 0.75, engagement > 0.70)Do NOT interrupt — protect the session
Drowsiness > 0.60, post-lunchUltradian Reset or Power Nap
FAA < 0, depression_index elevatedFAA Rebalancing
Low RMSSD (< 25ms)Vagal Toning
High stillness + headache signalsNeck Release Sequence
Pre-sleep, HRV lowSleep Wind-Down
Post-social-media, low moodEnvy & Comparison Alchemy

Attention & Focus Protocols

Theta-Beta Neurofeedback Anchor

Duration: ~90 seconds Trigger: High TBR (> 1.5) and low focus Instructions:

  1. Close your eyes
  2. Breathe slowly — 4s inhale, 6s exhale
  3. Count rhythmically from 1 to 10, matching your breath
  4. Focus on the counting — if you lose count, restart from 1
  5. Open your eyes after 4–5 full cycles Effect: Suppresses theta dominance and lifts beta activity

Focus Reset

Duration: 90 seconds Trigger: Scattered engagement, difficulty settling into task Instructions:

  1. Close your eyes completely
  2. Take 5 slow, deep breaths
  3. Mentally state your intention for the next work block
  4. Open your eyes and begin immediately Effect: Resets attentional baseline

Working Memory Primer

Duration: 3 minutes Trigger: Low PAC θ-γ (theta-gamma coupling), low sample entropy Instructions:

  1. Breathe at theta pace: 4s inhale, 6s exhale, 2s hold
  2. While breathing, do a verbal 3-back task: listen to or read a sequence of numbers, say which number appeared 3 positions back
  3. Continue for 3 minutes Effect: Lifts theta-gamma coupling and working memory engagement

Creativity Unlock

Duration: 5 minutes Trigger: High beta, low rel_alpha — system is too analytically locked Instructions:

  1. Stop all structured work
  2. Let your mind wander without a goal
  3. Doodle, look out the window, or listen to ambient sound
  4. Don't force any outcome — just observe what arises
  5. After 5 minutes, jot down any ideas that surfaced Effect: Promotes alpha and theta activity for creative ideation

Dual-N-Back Warm-Up

Duration: 3 minutes Trigger: Low PAC θ-γ, low sample entropy Instructions:

  1. Read or listen to a sequence of spoken numbers
  2. Track which number appeared 2 positions back (2-back)
  3. If comfortable, increase to 3-back Effect: Activates prefrontal cortex, lifts executive function

Novel Stimulation Burst

Duration: 2–3 minutes Trigger: Low APF (< 9 Hz), dementia_index > 30 Instructions:

  1. Pick up an unusual object nearby and describe it in detail
  2. Name 5 things you can see, 4 you can touch, 3 you can hear
  3. Try a quick riddle or lateral thinking puzzle Effect: Counters cortical slowing, raises alpha peak frequency

Autonomic & Stress Regulation Protocols

Box Breathing (4-4-4-4)

Duration: 2–4 minutes Trigger: High BAR, high anxiety_index, acute stress Instructions:

  1. Inhale for 4 counts
  2. Hold for 4 counts
  3. Exhale for 4 counts
  4. Hold for 4 counts
  5. Repeat 4–8 cycles Effect: Engages parasympathetic nervous system, reduces beta activity

Extended Exhale (4-7-8)

Duration: 3–5 minutes Trigger: Acute stress spikes, racing thoughts, high sympathetic activation Instructions:

  1. Exhale completely through mouth
  2. Inhale through nose for 4 counts
  3. Hold for 7 counts
  4. Exhale through mouth for 8 counts
  5. Repeat 4 cycles Effect: Fastest parasympathetic trigger for acute stress

Cardiac Coherence

Duration: 5 minutes Trigger: Low RMSSD (< 30 ms), high stress_index Instructions:

  1. Breathe evenly: 5-second inhale, 5-second exhale
  2. Focus on the area around your heart
  3. Recall a positive memory or feeling of appreciation
  4. Maintain for 5 minutes Effect: Maximizes HRV, creates coherent heart rhythm pattern

Physiological Sigh

Duration: 30 seconds (1–3 cycles) Trigger: Rapid overwhelm, acute panic Instructions:

  1. Take a quick double inhale through the nose (sniff-sniff)
  2. Follow with a long, slow exhale through the mouth
  3. Repeat 1–3 times Effect: Rapid parasympathetic activation, immediate calming

Alpha Induction (Open Focus)

Duration: 5 minutes Trigger: High beta, low relaxation — cannot relax Instructions:

  1. Soften your gaze — don't focus on any single object
  2. Notice the space between and around objects
  3. Expand your awareness to peripheral vision
  4. Maintain this "open focus" for 5 minutes Effect: Promotes alpha wave production, reduces beta dominance

Open Monitoring

Duration: 5–10 minutes Trigger: Low LZC (< 40 on 0-100 scale) — neural complexity too low Instructions:

  1. Sit comfortably with eyes closed or softly focused
  2. Don't direct attention to anything specific
  3. Simply notice whatever arises — thoughts, sounds, sensations
  4. Let each observation pass without engagement Effect: Raises neural complexity and consciousness metrics

Vagal Toning

Duration: 3 minutes Trigger: Low RMSSD (< 25 ms) — weak vagal tone Instructions:

  1. Hum a long, steady note on each exhale for 30 seconds
  2. Alternatively: gargle cold water for 30 seconds
  3. Repeat 3–5 times Effect: Directly stimulates the vagus nerve, increases parasympathetic tone

Emotional Regulation Protocols

FAA Rebalancing

Duration: 5 minutes Trigger: Negative FAA (right-hemisphere dominant), high depression_index Instructions:

  1. Think of something you're genuinely looking forward to (approach motivation)
  2. Visualize yourself successfully completing a meaningful goal
  3. Squeeze your left hand into a fist for 10 seconds, release
  4. Repeat the visualization + left-hand squeeze 3–4 times Effect: Activates left prefrontal cortex, shifts FAA positive

Loving-Kindness (Metta)

Duration: 5–10 minutes Trigger: Loneliness signals, shame, low mood Instructions:

  1. Close your eyes and think of someone you care about
  2. Silently repeat: "May you be happy. May you be healthy. May you be safe."
  3. Extend the same wishes to yourself
  4. Extend to a neutral person, then gradually to someone difficult Effect: Reduces withdrawal motivation, increases positive affect

Emotional Discharge

Duration: 2 minutes Trigger: High bipolar_index or extreme FAA swings Instructions:

  1. Take 30 seconds of vigorous, fast breathing (safely)
  2. Stop and take 3 slow, deep breaths
  3. Do a 60-second body scan — notice where tension is held
  4. Shake out your hands and arms for 15 seconds Effect: Releases trapped sympathetic energy, recalibrates

Havening Touch

Duration: 3–5 minutes Trigger: Acute distress, trauma activation, overwhelming anxiety Instructions:

  1. Gently stroke your arms from shoulder to elbow, palms down
  2. Rub your palms together slowly
  3. Gently touch your forehead, temples
  4. Continue for 3–5 minutes while breathing slowly Effect: Disrupts amygdala-cortex encoding loop, reduces distress

Anxiety Surfing

Duration: ~8 minutes Trigger: Rising anxiety without clear cause Instructions:

  1. Notice where anxiety lives in your body — chest? stomach? throat?
  2. Describe the sensation without judging it (tight? hot? buzzing?)
  3. Breathe into that area for 3 breaths
  4. Notice: is it getting bigger, smaller, or changing shape?
  5. Continue observing for 5–8 minutes — anxiety typically peaks then subsides

Anger: Palm-Press Discharge

Duration: 2 minutes Trigger: Anger signals, high BAR + elevated HR Instructions:

  1. Press your palms together firmly for 10 seconds
  2. Release and take 3 extended exhales (4s in, 8s out)
  3. Repeat 3–4 times

Envy & Comparison Alchemy

Duration: 3 minutes Trigger: Post-social-media, envy signals Instructions:

  1. Name the envy: "I feel envious of ___"
  2. Ask: "What does this envy tell me I actually want?"
  3. Convert: "My next step toward that is ___" Effect: Converts envy into a desire-signal that identifies personal values

Awe Induction

Duration: 3–5 minutes Trigger: Existential flatness, low engagement, loss of meaning Instructions:

  1. Imagine standing at the edge of the Grand Canyon, or beneath a starry sky
  2. Let yourself feel the scale — you are small, and that's beautiful
  3. Recall a moment of genuine wonder from your past
  4. Notice what changes in your body Effect: Counters hedonic adaptation, restores sense of meaning

Sleep & Recovery Protocols

Ultradian Reset

Duration: 20 minutes Trigger: End of a 90-minute focus block, drowsiness rising Instructions:

  1. Set a timer for 20 minutes
  2. No agenda — just rest (don't force sleep)
  3. Dim lights if possible, close eyes
  4. Let mind wander without structure Effect: Aligns with 90-minute ultradian rhythm, restores cognitive resources

Wake Reset

Duration: 5 minutes Trigger: narcolepsy_index > 40, severe drowsiness Instructions:

  1. Splash cold water on your face and wrists
  2. Do 20 seconds of Kapalabhati breath (sharp nasal exhales)
  3. Expose yourself to bright light for 2–3 minutes Effect: Acute arousal response, suppresses drowsiness

NSDR (Non-Sleep Deep Rest / Yoga Nidra)

Duration: 20–30 minutes Trigger: Accumulated fatigue, need deep recovery without sleeping Instructions:

  1. Lie on your back, palms up
  2. Close your eyes and do a slow body scan from toes to crown
  3. At each body part, notice sensation without changing anything
  4. If you fall asleep, that's fine — set an alarm Effect: Restores dopamine and cognitive resources without sleep inertia

Power Nap

Duration: 10–20 minutes (set alarm!) Trigger: Drowsiness > 0.70, post-lunch slump, Theta dominant Instructions:

  1. Set alarm for 20 minutes maximum (avoids N3 sleep inertia)
  2. Lie down or recline
  3. Even if you don't fully sleep, rest with eyes closed
  4. On waking: 30 seconds of stretching before resuming work Effect: Restores focus and alertness for 2–3 hours

Sleep Wind-Down

Duration: 60 minutes before bed Trigger: Evening session, rising drowsiness, pre-sleep Instructions:

  1. Dim all screens to night mode
  2. Stop new learning or complex tasks
  3. Do a mind dump of tomorrow's tasks
  4. 10 minutes of progressive relaxation or 4-7-8 breathing
  5. Keep room cool (65–68°F / 18–20°C)

Somatic & Physical Protocols

Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR)

Duration: 10 minutes Trigger: Relaxation < 0.25, HRV declining over session Instructions:

  1. Start with feet — tense for 5 seconds, release for 8–10 seconds
  2. Move upward: calves → thighs → abdomen → hands → arms → shoulders → face
  3. Hold each tension 5 seconds, release 8–10 seconds
  4. End with 3 deep breaths

Grounding (5-4-3-2-1)

Duration: 3 minutes Trigger: Panic, dissociation, acute anxiety spike Instructions:

  1. Name 5 things you can see
  2. Name 4 things you can touch
  3. Name 3 things you can hear
  4. Name 2 things you can smell
  5. Name 1 thing you can taste

20-20-20 Vision Reset

Duration: 20 seconds Trigger: Extended screen time, eye strain Instructions:

  1. Every 20 minutes of screen time
  2. Look at something 20 feet away
  3. For 20 seconds

Neck Release Sequence

Duration: 3 minutes Trigger: High stillness (> 0.85) + headache_index elevated Instructions:

  1. Ear-to-shoulder tilt — hold 15 seconds each side
  2. Chin tucks — 10 reps (pull chin straight back)
  3. Gentle neck circles — 5 each direction
  4. Shoulder shrugs — 10 reps (squeeze up, release)

Motor Cortex Activation

Duration: 2 minutes Trigger: Very high stillness, prolonged static sitting Instructions:

  1. Cross-body movements: touch right hand to left knee, alternate 10 times
  2. Shake out hands and feet for 15 seconds
  3. Roll ankles and wrists 5 times each direction Effect: Resets proprioception, activates motor cortex

Cognitive Load Offload (Mind Dump)

Duration: 5 minutes Trigger: Cognitive load > 0.70 sustained, racing thoughts, high beta Instructions:

  1. Open a blank document or grab paper
  2. Write everything on your mind without filtering or organizing
  3. Brain-dump worries, tasks, ideas — anything occupying working memory
  4. Close the document (review later if needed) Effect: Externalizing working memory can reduce cognitive load by 20–40%

Digital & Lifestyle Protocols

Craving Surf

Duration: 90 seconds Trigger: Phone addiction signals, urge to check social media Instructions:

  1. Notice the urge to check your phone
  2. Don't act on it — just observe for 90 seconds
  3. Notice: does the urge peak and then fade?
  4. Resume what you were doing Effect: Breaks automatic dopamine-seeking loop

Dopamine Palette Reset

Duration: Ongoing Trigger: Flatness from short-form content spikes Instructions:

  1. Identify activities that provide sustained reward (reading, cooking, walking)
  2. Replace 15 minutes of scrolling with one sustained-reward activity
  3. Track mood before/after for 3 days

Digital Sunset

Duration: 60–90 minutes before bed Trigger: Evening, pre-sleep routine Instructions:

  1. Hard stop on all screens 60–90 minutes before bed
  2. Switch to non-screen activities: reading, conversation, stretching
  3. If screens are necessary, use night mode at minimum brightness

Dietary Protocols

Caffeine Timing

Trigger: Morning routine, anxiety_index Guidelines:

  • Consume caffeine 90–120 minutes after waking (cortisol has already peaked)
  • None after 2 PM (half-life ~6 hours)
  • If anxiety_index > 50, stack with L-theanine (200mg) to smooth the curve

Post-Meal Energy Crash

Trigger: Post-lunch drowsiness spike Instructions:

  1. 5-minute brisk walk immediately after eating
  2. 10 minutes of sunlight exposure Effect: Counters post-prandial drowsiness

Motivation & Planning Protocols

WOOP (Wish, Outcome, Obstacle, Plan)

Duration: 5 minutes Trigger: Low engagement before a task Instructions:

  1. Wish: What do you want to accomplish in this session?
  2. Outcome: What's the best possible result? Visualize it.
  3. Obstacle: What internal obstacle might get in the way?
  4. Plan: "If [obstacle], then I will [action]." Effect: Mental contrasting improves follow-through by 2–3x

Pre-Task Priming

Duration: 3 minutes Trigger: Low engagement at session start, drowsiness < 0.50 Instructions:

  1. Set a clear intention for the next work block
  2. Write down the single most important task
  3. Do 10 jumping jacks or 20 deep breaths
  4. Start with the easiest sub-task to build momentum

Protocol Execution Guidelines

When guiding the user through a protocol:

  1. Match one protocol to the single most salient metric signal
  2. Explain the metric connection — why this protocol for this state
  3. Ask permission — never start without the user's consent
  4. Announce each step clearly with timing
  5. Check in after — run npx neuroskill status --json to see if metrics improved
  6. Label the moment — npx neuroskill label "post-protocol: [name]" for tracking

Timing Guidelines for Step-by-Step Guidance

  • Breath inhale: 3–5 seconds
  • Breath hold: 2–4 seconds
  • Breath exhale: 4–8 seconds
  • Muscle tense: 5 seconds
  • Muscle release: 8–10 seconds
  • Body-scan region: 10–15 seconds