Many of the things you do on a daily basis is based on habit. From brushing your teeth and showering when you first get up to eating right after you get home, these actions are largely automatic. These habits make your life easier because it saves your brain from having to decide what to do every single day. I have written extensively about habits on this blog. But in this post, I want to give a short posts that kind of summarizes what habits are all about, as well as habits of America on the aggregate. Check out some of these facts about habits.
- Habits are a three-part process. There is a cue, a routine, and a reward. This three-part process is called the habit loop according to Charles Duhigg.
- Contrary to popular belief, it does not take 21 days for most of us to establish a new habit. Research shows that it takes an average of 66 days before a habit is ingrained in the brain.
- Cravings drive the brain. Runners love running because they crave the "runner's high." Alcoholics love alcohol because they crave the release it gives them. Gamblers crave the feeling of winning money. In order for something to be truly a habit, your brain has to crave it.
- Habits never really truly die. They are just overpowered by competing habits. That is why old habits sometimes creep back into our lives.
- The number one New Years resolution for every year is to lose weight. However, just 8% of people who set New Years resolutions actually achieve their goals.
- The basal ganglia is the part of the brain primarily responsible for our habits.
- People who suffer from amnesia or otherwise lose their memories are still able to create habits and act on old habits. Such is the case of a man from San Diego named Eugene Pauly.
- Exercise is one of the best habits you can instill in yourself. It makes you happier, healthier, and more productive. However, only 52% of Americans say they exercise at least 3 days a week, for at least 30 minutes each session.
- A survey showed that the habit of self-acceptance provided the most reported happiness out of the other popular daily habits.
- 54% of people over the age of 18 have a habit of drinking coffee everyday. Coffee is definitely a big habit in society in many parts of the word.
- 40% of Americans eat desserts at least twice a week.
- 40% of Americans get less than the recommended 7-8 hours of sleep a night. Sleep habits has been lauded as one of the most important habits in order to have a productive day.
- It is easier to create a new habit rather than try to overcome an old one, especially if the old habit is deeply embedded into your everyday life.
