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Andrew Huberman

01/03/22

@ Andrew Huberman

Habits organize our behavior into reflexive actions, allowing us to perform daily tasks without overthinking them.

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Andrew Huberman

01/03/22

@ Andrew Huberman

Many habits can undermine our health and life goals, so it's important to understand how to form and break them effectively.

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Andrew Huberman

01/03/22

@ Andrew Huberman

The neuroscience of habit formation and breaking is often overlooked, despite its significance in understanding behavior change.

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Andrew Huberman

01/03/22

@ Andrew Huberman

Learning is fundamentally about neuroplasticity, which is the process by which our nervous system changes in response to experiences.

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Andrew Huberman

01/03/22

@ Andrew Huberman

Neuroplasticity involves changes in the connections between neurons, which are essential for forming new habits.

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Andrew Huberman

01/03/22

@ Andrew Huberman

Immediate goal-based habits focus on achieving specific outcomes, while identity-based habits are linked to a larger self-concept, like becoming a fit person.

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Andrew Huberman

01/03/22

@ Andrew Huberman

It can take anywhere from 18 to 254 days for different individuals to form the same habit, highlighting the variability in habit formation.

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Andrew Huberman

01/03/22

@ Andrew Huberman

Limbic friction describes the mental strain required to overcome feelings of anxiety or tiredness to engage in a desired behavior.

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Andrew Huberman

01/03/22

@ Andrew Huberman

To adopt a new habit, visualize the specific sequence of steps required to perform it, which can significantly increase the likelihood of success.

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Andrew Huberman

01/03/22

@ Andrew Huberman

Task-bracketing involves using neural circuits in the basal ganglia to facilitate the learning and execution of new habits.

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Andrew Huberman

01/03/22

@ Andrew Huberman

The dorsolateral striatum is crucial for habit formation, as it activates at the beginning and end of a habit, marking its execution.

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Andrew Huberman

01/03/22

@ Andrew Huberman

Brushing your teeth is an example of a habit that most people perform regardless of their emotional state, demonstrating strong habit strength.

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Andrew Huberman

01/03/22

@ Andrew Huberman

You can build up task-bracketing to increase the likelihood of performing a challenging habit, like writing for an hour a day or working on mathematics.

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Andrew Huberman

01/03/22

@ Andrew Huberman

It's important to orient your nervous system towards the task-bracketing process, similar to warming up your body before exercise, to prime your brain for habit execution.

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Andrew Huberman

01/03/22

@ Andrew Huberman

The idea that being very specific about when to perform a habit increases the likelihood of doing it is true in the short term, but not in the long term; our nervous system generates behavior based on our state, not just time.

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Andrew Huberman

01/03/22

@ Andrew Huberman

To effectively form habits, focus on the state of your brain and body rather than the specific time of day; this will help you anchor your habits more effectively.

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Andrew Huberman

01/03/22

@ Andrew Huberman

I recommend a program that allows you to insert habits into specific phases of the day, which are associated with different biological underpinnings, to enhance habit formation.

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Andrew Huberman

01/03/22

@ Andrew Huberman

The first phase of the day, 0 to 8 hours after waking, is characterized by elevated norepinephrine, epinephrine, and dopamine, which support an alert and focused state.

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Andrew Huberman

01/03/22

@ Andrew Huberman

Engaging in activities like sunlight exposure, physical exercise, and cold exposure in the first phase of the day can enhance your alertness and focus, making it easier to adopt new habits.

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Andrew Huberman

01/03/22

@ Andrew Huberman

During the second phase of the day, 9 to 14 hours after waking, dopamine and norepinephrine levels decrease, while serotonin rises, leading to a more relaxed state that is beneficial for certain types of habit formation.

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Andrew Huberman

01/03/22

@ Andrew Huberman

In the second half of the day, focus on mellower activities that require less effort to overcome limbic friction, such as journaling or practicing music, as this is a better time for such tasks.

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Andrew Huberman

01/03/22

@ Andrew Huberman

Phase three of the day, 16 to 24 hours after waking, is crucial for neuroplasticity and habit consolidation, requiring a low-light environment to support deep sleep.

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Andrew Huberman

01/03/22

@ Andrew Huberman

To support sleep and habit consolidation, maintain a dark and cool environment during phase three, and avoid eating too close to bedtime.

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Andrew Huberman

01/03/22

@ Andrew Huberman

If you wake up during the night, use minimal light to navigate, as bright light can inhibit melatonin production and make it harder to fall back asleep.

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Andrew Huberman

01/03/22

@ Andrew Huberman

Reward prediction error, which is linked to dopamine, plays a significant role in habit formation; unexpected rewards can enhance the likelihood of repeating a behavior.

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Andrew Huberman

01/03/22

@ Andrew Huberman

When you anticipate a reward and it arrives, the associated behavior is more likely to occur again; however, if the expected reward does not come, dopamine levels can drop significantly.

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Andrew Huberman

01/03/22

@ Andrew Huberman

To effectively form habits, consider not just the execution of the habit but also the events that precede and follow it, creating a context for dopamine association, and visualize the entire sequence of steps involved, from preparation to completion, while positively anticipating the benefits that follow.

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Andrew Huberman

01/03/22

@ Andrew Huberman

Broaden your perspective on habit execution by associating it with a larger time frame, linking it to positive outcomes like elevated mood and satisfaction after completing the habit.

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Andrew Huberman

01/03/22

@ Andrew Huberman

Dopamine is not just a reward molecule; it's primarily a molecule of motivation and drive, influencing our energy and likelihood to engage in habits.

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Andrew Huberman

01/03/22

@ Andrew Huberman

To form new habits, engage in a 21-day program where you aim to perform six new habits each day, but realistically expect to complete only four to five of them.

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Andrew Huberman

01/03/22

@ Andrew Huberman

The key to habit formation is not just the specific habits themselves, but developing the habit of performing habits consistently over time.

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Andrew Huberman

01/03/22

@ Andrew Huberman

If you miss a day in your habit formation, simply return to your routine the next day without punishing yourself for the slip.

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Andrew Huberman

01/03/22

@ Andrew Huberman

Chunk the 21-day habit formation into two-day bins, focusing on performing four to five habits for two days before resetting and assessing your progress.

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Andrew Huberman

01/03/22

@ Andrew Huberman

Breaking habits involves engaging in long-term depression of the neural pathways associated with the unwanted behavior, which can be achieved by consciously recognizing the moment after executing the bad habit and replacing it with a positive behavior.

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Andrew Huberman

01/03/22

@ Andrew Huberman

To effectively break a bad habit, immediately after executing it, engage in a different positive behavior to create a new neural association and disrupt the reflexive nature of the bad habit.

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Andrew Huberman

01/03/22

@ Andrew Huberman

The process of breaking habits can be enhanced by inserting a positive behavior immediately after the execution of the bad habit, creating a new sequence of neural activation that weakens the old habit.

The Science of Making & Breaking Habits

Takeaways