Happy Wellness Wednesday!
Today, let’s explore one of the most powerful yet misunderstood topics in wellness: why it’s so challenging to change habits and how our brain wiring influences this struggle. Understanding how our brains work can be the key to making lasting changes!
How the Human Brain Forms Habits
Our brains are wired to seek out efficiency, which is why we develop habits in the first place. When we repeat a behavior often enough, our brain starts to automate it to conserve energy—just like putting it on autopilot. This is especially true for routines we do daily, from brushing our teeth to reaching for a snack at certain times of the day. Here’s a look at the process:
- The Habit Loop: Charles Duhigg, author of The Power of Habit, explains that habits follow a loop: cue (trigger) → routine (behavior) → reward (positive feeling). This loop allows our brain to shortcut the decision-making process, making certain behaviors automatic.
- Neuroplasticity and Habit Formation: The brain is constantly rewiring itself through neuroplasticity. When we repeat actions, our brain strengthens the neural pathways associated with them, making the behavior easier to repeat. This is why habits can be so hard to break—they’ve literally created “grooves” in our brains!
- The Role of Dopamine: When we perform actions that satisfy a craving or create pleasure, the brain releases dopamine—a neurotransmitter associated with reward and pleasure. This reinforces the behavior, making us want to repeat it. The more often this dopamine reward loop is triggered, the stronger the habit becomes.
Why Habit Change Feels Hard
- Comfort Zones Are Powerful: Because the brain loves efficiency and familiarity, it prefers to stick to what it knows. Trying to change a habit means stepping outside this comfort zone, which the brain perceives as a threat to its established routines.
- The Influence of Triggers: Many of our habits are tied to specific cues (like drinking coffee when you sit down to work or grabbing a snack when you’re stressed). Breaking the cycle means reworking how we respond to these triggers, which takes time and mental energy.
- Resisting Short-Term Rewards: Habits are often driven by a short-term reward (like the burst of energy from sugar or the stress relief of scrolling social media). Changing habits requires us to delay gratification, which our brain naturally resists.
- Willpower Is Limited: Relying on willpower alone to change a habit can lead to burnout because it’s a finite resource. Our brain can only handle so much decision-making and self-control each day, so by evening, we’re more likely to revert to old patterns.
How to Use Brain Science to Build New Habits
- Start Small: Make habit changes manageable. Small changes are less likely to trigger the brain’s resistance to new routines. For example, if you want to start exercising, begin with a five-minute walk rather than a full workout.
- Attach New Habits to Old Ones: This technique, known as habit stacking, involves linking a new habit with an established one. For instance, if you want to meditate, do it right after brushing your teeth in the morning. This way, your brain associates one routine with the other, making it easier to adopt.
- Change Your Environment: Since cues often trigger habits, altering your environment can help break the cycle. If you’re trying to cut down on snacks, keep them out of sight or replace them with healthier options.
- Reward Yourself: To help your brain get on board with new habits, find ways to make them rewarding. Celebrate small wins or use non-food rewards to reinforce positive changes. Over time, your brain will begin to anticipate these rewards, helping cement the new habit.
- Be Kind to Yourself: Remember that habit change is a gradual process. If you slip up, don’t give up! Your brain is learning, and change takes time. Patience and self-compassion are your greatest tools on this journey.
By understanding how your brain works, you can be more forgiving with yourself and use science-backed techniques to build the habits you want. It’s not that you “lack willpower”—it’s simply that your brain has spent years wiring itself one way, and it takes time to rewire.
Keep pushing forward, one small step at a time. You’re doing amazing things!
Until next week,