Episode
The Science of Making & Breaking Habits
1:50:16
Published: Mon Jan 03 2022
Description
In this episode, I review the science of habit formation and habit elimination and how the process of neuroplasticity (brain rewiring) underlies these processes. I describe two new systems for habit formation. The first system is grounded in the neuroscience of brain states and our ability to perform (and to avoid) certain tasks at different phases of the 24-hour day. The second system focuses on 21-day habit formation and consolidation. I also discuss "task bracketing" as an approach to enhancing habit formation and eliminating unwanted habits and the neural circuits that underlie task bracketing in the basal ganglia (a brain region for generating and stopping behaviors). I also review the science of dopamine rewards and how to apply that knowledge to shaping habits. The science and tools in this episode ought to be helpful for anyone looking to build better habits and eliminate unwanted habits for school, work, fitness, relationships, creative endeavors, and more—indeed for any person or situation where behavioral changes are needed. For the full show notes, visit hubermanlab.com. Thank you to our sponsors AG1 (Athletic Greens): https://athleticgreens.com/huberman LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/huberman Thesis: https://takethesis.com/huberman Supplements from Momentous https://www.livemomentous.com/huberman Timestamps (00:00:00) Introducing Habits; New Programs (00:02:46) Sponsors: AG1, LMNT, Thesis, Momentous (00:06:52) Habits versus Reflexes, Learning, Neuroplasticity (00:08:51) Goal-Based Habits vs. Identity-Based Habits (00:11:40) How Long It (Really) Takes to Form a Habit; Limbic-Friction (00:16:07) Linchpin Habits (00:18:55) Mapping Your Habits; Habit Strength, Context-Dependence (00:22:55) Automaticity (00:24:03) Tool 1: Applying Procedural Memory Visualizations (00:27:48) Hebbian Learning, NMDA receptors (00:31:00) Tool 2: Task Bracketing; Dorsolateral Striatum (00:37:08) States of Mind, Not Scheduling Time Predicts Habit Strength (00:38:16) Tool 3: Phase-Based Habit Plan: Phase 1 (00:46:29) Tool 3: Phase-Based Habit Plan: Phase 2 (00:55:24) Tool 3: Phase-Based Habit Plan: Phase 3 (01:01:34) Habit Flexibility (01:04:57) Should We Reward Ourselves? How? When? When NOT to. (01:10:30) Tool 4: “Dopamine Spotlighting” & Task Bracketing (01:18:22) Tool 5: The 21-Day Habit Installation & Testing System (01:28:26) Breaking Habits: Long-Term (Synaptic) Depression (01:35:49) Notifications Don’t Work (01:37:50) Tool 6: Break Bad Habits with Post-Bad-Habit “Positive Cargo” (01:44:26) Addictions as Habits: https://hubermanlab.com/dr-anna-lembke-understanding-and-treating-addiction (01:45:28) Conclusion & Synthesis (01:48:27) Zero-Cost Support, Sponsors, Supplements, Instagram, Twitter Title Card Photo Credit: Mike Blabac Disclaimer
Chapters
In this episode, neurobiologist Andrew Huberman discusses the value of habits and the biology behind forming and breaking them, including how habits become ingrained in the brain and the role of dopamine.
00:00 - 01:14 (01:14)
Summary
In this episode, neurobiologist Andrew Huberman discusses the value of habits and the biology behind forming and breaking them, including how habits become ingrained in the brain and the role of dopamine.
EpisodeThe Science of Making & Breaking Habits
PodcastHuberman Lab
InsideTracker emphasizes specific recommendations for lifestyle, nutrition, and supplementation to improve your immediate and long-term health.
01:14 - 07:16 (06:01)
Summary
InsideTracker emphasizes specific recommendations for lifestyle, nutrition, and supplementation to improve your immediate and long-term health. However, they sometimes use single-ingredient supplements and offer dosages that are cost-optimized and effective.
EpisodeThe Science of Making & Breaking Habits
PodcastHuberman Lab
A study published in 2010 found that forming a habit can take anywhere from 18 days to 254 days for different individuals.
07:16 - 13:52 (06:36)
Summary
A study published in 2010 found that forming a habit can take anywhere from 18 days to 254 days for different individuals. There are two types of habits, immediate goal-based habits, and identity-based habits.
EpisodeThe Science of Making & Breaking Habits
PodcastHuberman Lab
Limbic friction is a useful metric to address if you can form a certain habit easily or if it's going to be challenging.
13:52 - 23:23 (09:31)
Summary
Limbic friction is a useful metric to address if you can form a certain habit easily or if it's going to be challenging. The linchpin habits make other habits easier to execute, making it easier to consolidate those habits.
EpisodeThe Science of Making & Breaking Habits
PodcastHuberman Lab
The neural circuits associated with task bracketing are the ones that allow you to learn new habits or break old ones, making it easier to perform certain tasks more reflexively; doing the mental exercise of thinking through the steps required to perform or break a habit can shift the likelihood of being able to perform that habit from unlikely to very likely over time.
23:23 - 33:58 (10:34)
Summary
The neural circuits associated with task bracketing are the ones that allow you to learn new habits or break old ones, making it easier to perform certain tasks more reflexively; doing the mental exercise of thinking through the steps required to perform or break a habit can shift the likelihood of being able to perform that habit from unlikely to very likely over time.
EpisodeThe Science of Making & Breaking Habits
PodcastHuberman Lab
Task bracketing is key for creating strong and context-dependent habits, and involves inserting specific habits and activities at particular phases of the day.
33:58 - 43:22 (09:24)
Summary
Task bracketing is key for creating strong and context-dependent habits, and involves inserting specific habits and activities at particular phases of the day. While schedules are important, the specific time of day is not as crucial as the neural mechanisms of task bracketing for forming and consolidating habits.
EpisodeThe Science of Making & Breaking Habits
PodcastHuberman Lab
In order to optimize brain chemistry, it is important to structure your day into two phases.
43:22 - 54:23 (11:00)
Summary
In order to optimize brain chemistry, it is important to structure your day into two phases. During phase one, leaning against limbic friction is beneficial whereas in phase two, it is recommended to engage in activities that support a serotonergic state, such as meditation, heat and sauna, and hot baths.
EpisodeThe Science of Making & Breaking Habits
PodcastHuberman Lab
The third phase of the day is the most important to embed habits and build routine, and it involves avoiding certain activities like caffeine and bright light, but engaging in NSDR and deep sleep to improve neuroplasticity and muscle recovery after physical exercise.
54:23 - 1:04:24 (10:01)
Summary
The third phase of the day is the most important to embed habits and build routine, and it involves avoiding certain activities like caffeine and bright light, but engaging in NSDR and deep sleep to improve neuroplasticity and muscle recovery after physical exercise.
EpisodeThe Science of Making & Breaking Habits
PodcastHuberman Lab
This podcast explains the concept of reward prediction error, its association with dopamine, and how breaking one's self-discipline can lead to a drop in dopamine levels.
1:04:25 - 1:10:09 (05:43)
Summary
This podcast explains the concept of reward prediction error, its association with dopamine, and how breaking one's self-discipline can lead to a drop in dopamine levels.
EpisodeThe Science of Making & Breaking Habits
PodcastHuberman Lab
In order to successfully adopt or break a habit, it's important to think about not only the actual execution of the habit, but also the events that precede and follow it.
1:10:09 - 1:15:29 (05:20)
Summary
In order to successfully adopt or break a habit, it's important to think about not only the actual execution of the habit, but also the events that precede and follow it. By positively associating dopamine reward with the larger context of habit execution, we can increase our chances of success.
EpisodeThe Science of Making & Breaking Habits
PodcastHuberman Lab
In this episode, the host discusses the significance of a 21 day deliberate habit-forming program, where you try to perform four to five new habits during each two-day bin, and after the 21 days, you go into autopilot regarding these habits.
1:15:29 - 1:25:46 (10:17)
Summary
In this episode, the host discusses the significance of a 21 day deliberate habit-forming program, where you try to perform four to five new habits during each two-day bin, and after the 21 days, you go into autopilot regarding these habits.
EpisodeThe Science of Making & Breaking Habits
PodcastHuberman Lab
The 21-day habit formation system is a high-intensity program that does not compensate for missed days, but encourages a competition test with oneself after 21 days.
1:25:46 - 1:35:19 (09:32)
Summary
The 21-day habit formation system is a high-intensity program that does not compensate for missed days, but encourages a competition test with oneself after 21 days. The system helps to create new neural pathways that can weaken old, unwanted ones through the process of long-term depression, and supports stress reduction, good sleep, good nutrition and positive daily routines, all of which can improve the chances of successfully breaking unhelpful habits.
EpisodeThe Science of Making & Breaking Habits
PodcastHuberman Lab
Identifying the sequence of events that led to a bad habit can be difficult, but taking advantage of the active neurons immediately after a bad habit execution can allow for the insertion of a replacement behavior.
1:35:19 - 1:40:49 (05:29)
Summary
Identifying the sequence of events that led to a bad habit can be difficult, but taking advantage of the active neurons immediately after a bad habit execution can allow for the insertion of a replacement behavior. This is more effective than just visual or electronic reminders in the long-term.
EpisodeThe Science of Making & Breaking Habits
PodcastHuberman Lab
To change bad habits, one should tack on additional good behaviors to them, rather than just reminders, punishments, or rewards.
1:40:49 - 1:46:53 (06:04)
Summary
To change bad habits, one should tack on additional good behaviors to them, rather than just reminders, punishments, or rewards. This will change the neural circuits and help to rewrite the script for the bad habit.
EpisodeThe Science of Making & Breaking Habits
PodcastHuberman Lab
The author discusses two general programs to create new habits: the first one involves dividing the day into three phases and tackling specific habits during each phase while the second one is a 21-day process of engaging approximately six new habits per day with an assessment afterwards.
1:46:53 - 1:50:23 (03:30)
Summary
The author discusses two general programs to create new habits: the first one involves dividing the day into three phases and tackling specific habits during each phase while the second one is a 21-day process of engaging approximately six new habits per day with an assessment afterwards.