The Science of Making & Breaking Habits

Hey my name is Quame Burner! Today, we're diving into the fascinating world of habits. Specifically, we'll explore how habits are formed and how we can break them. Habits are pretty awesome because they help us perform actions without much conscious effort. Think about brushing our teeth or getting out of bed in the morning – they become automatic! But not all habits are beneficial. Some can hinder our health and goals. So, today, let's focus on creating new habits and ditching the ones that no longer serve us.

While there's plenty of information available on habits in popular culture, there's a whole field of neuroscience and psychology dedicated to understanding habit formation and breaking. Within these scientific realms, there are some hidden gems that haven't received much attention in the mainstream. That's where we come in! We'll explore the biology behind habit formation and breaking, and I'll break it down into easy-to-follow steps that anyone can use.

Why am I doing this? Well, many of us want to leave behind certain behaviors from our past, embrace new challenges, and welcome positive changes into our lives. So, let's dive in and discover the secrets of habit formation and breaking together! Are you ready? Let's do this!

That's a great point! When it comes to habits, they align very well with what psychologists have described about habit formation and breaking. Today, you'll not only learn about the science behind habits but also gain some practical tools that can be valuable to you, regardless of your current state or goals.

Now, let's dig into habits. Whenever we talk about habits, we're essentially talking about how our nervous system learns something. Some people might think that habits are just like reflexes, but reflexes are more like immediate reactions, such as blinking when something comes close to our eyes or moving away from something hot or sharp. Habits, on the other hand, are things that our nervous system has learned, sometimes without us even realizing it until they become problematic or beneficial.

Habits play a significant role in shaping who we are. They make up a large portion of our daily behavior, with estimates suggesting that up to 70% of our waking actions are habitual. This means that there's a lot of biology involved, including cells, hormones, and neural pathways, that support the development of these habits.

Since habits are primarily learned, whether consciously or unconsciously, it leads us to the question: What exactly is learning? Learning is the process through which we acquire new knowledge or skills, and it plays a crucial role in the formation of habits. It's a fascinating topic to explore, and I'm excited to dive deeper into it with you!

Absolutely! Learning is indeed connected to neuroplasticity. Neuroplasticity refers to the changes that occur in our nervous system as a result of experiences. These changes mainly involve the connections between neurons, which are the nerve cells responsible for communication through electrical and chemical signals. Neuroplasticity allows for the formation of new neural circuits, creating pathways for certain habits to occur while making others less likely.

Now, when it comes to understanding habits from a psychological and biological perspective, there are a couple of interesting aspects to consider. One is the distinction between immediate goal-based habits and identity-based habits. Immediate goal-based habits are focused on achieving specific outcomes each time they are performed. For example, developing a habit of doing 60 minutes of zone II cardio exercise several times a week.

Zone II cardio refers to cardiovascular exercise that gets your heart pumping and your breathing going, but still allows you to hold a conversation without feeling too overwhelmed. It's a great way to improve overall health and fitness. So, these immediate goal-based habits are aimed at achieving specific results.

On the other hand, we also have identity-based habits. These habits are more about aligning with our sense of self and who we want to be. They are deeply connected to our values and beliefs. For instance, someone who identifies as a health-conscious individual may develop a habit of choosing nutritious meals or practicing mindfulness regularly.

Both types of habits have their own significance and can contribute to personal growth and well-being. It's fascinating how habits can be understood from different perspectives, combining neuroscience, psychology, and personal values. There's this interesting distinction between identity-based and immediate goal-based habits. And it turns out that dopamine, a molecule in our brain associated with motivation and reward, plays a role in habit formation. Different schedules of dopamine release can predict whether we'll stick to a habit or not, as well as how quickly we can form that habit.

Now, here's the thing about the time it takes to form a habit. You may have heard that it takes 21 days, or maybe 18, or even 30 or 60 days. But the truth is, it's not a one-size-fits-all answer. A study published in 2010 by Lally and colleagues found that it can actually take anywhere from 18 days to as long as 254 days for different individuals to form the same habit. So, it really depends on the person and the specific habit they're trying to form.

Interestingly, the Lally study focused on a health-related behavior: taking walks after dinner. And it's relevant because there's research showing that walking after a meal can help with glucose clearance. So, it's all connected!

The reason why some people find it easier to form certain habits than others might have to do with something is because of "limbic friction." Now, this term isn't commonly used in scientific literature, but it's a phrase I came up with to bring together different ideas from psychology and neuroscience. Limbic friction refers to the effort or strain required to overcome two different states in your body.

One state is when you feel anxious and can't calm down or relax, which makes it difficult to engage in certain activities or thoughts. The other state is when you feel tired, lazy, or unmotivated. These two states are related to the autonomic nervous system, a system in your brain and body that controls your alertness and calmness. It's like a see-saw where you're either alert or calm, stressed or asleep. These states are not compatible with each other.

Limbic friction is a way to describe how much effort or activation energy you need to engage in a particular behavior. For example, in the Lally study, some people would eat dinner and then remember their goal of taking a walk afterward and easily get up and go. But for others, it might feel like a bigger effort or struggle to take that walk,here's the deal. When it comes to forming habits, it's all about being in the right mindset and being able to control your body and mind. This term called "limbic friction" is a fancy way of saying how much effort it takes to form a habit. It's like a measure of how hard or easy it will be for you to make a habit stick.

You can use limbic friction to check in with yourself and see if forming a certain habit will be a piece of cake or a real challenge. I'll even show you how to measure your limbic friction and activation energy for both forming new habits and breaking old ones.

Another important concept is what I call "linchpin habits." These are habits that make it easier to do other habits. For example, I personally enjoy exercising, like running and resistance training. These activities are my linchpin habits because they make it easier for me to stick to other healthy habits.