How Long It Takes To Build a Healthy Habit
Why does it take some people far less time to form new habits than others? Is it simply because everyone has different schedules, different priorities, different neurochemicals running through their brains, etc. If so, it’s unclear whether this means some people are lazy, or if the difference in the process reflects differences in intrinsic motivation. People with lower intrinsic motivation are likely to be motivated by external stimuli. This can be seen in people who prefer to sing or dance or even watch a motivational video while brushing their teeth and going through their morning routine.
How long does it take to form a new habit?
Well, the habit-forming process begins with an action you take. Then, an environmental cue triggers your brain to prompt you to repeat the behaviour. The longest it takes to form a new habit is 18 to 34 days, according to recent research. It also takes 16 to 24 days for a behaviour to become automatic, and it takes 66 days for a behaviour to become automatic. When you stick to your oral hygiene routine for a couple of months, it becomes a part of your nature and once you have inculcated the habit, you will find yourself doing it effortlessly. Another thing to ensure while forming a habit to brush your teeth regularly is to not purchase non-fluoride toothpaste Australia. Instead, go for one that has a good amount of fluoride content in the toothpaste in Australia.
What can you do to make this process easier?
Below are five simple steps to help you make your goal of better habits into reality.
● Start! The key to forming a habit is not giving in to the temptation of ‘starting from tomorrow’. What you can do tomorrow, you can do today.
● Stay consistent, even when you don’t want to. Consistency ensures that your brain is performing the function even when you have to force it to. Soon, you will find yourself not having to put in any effort.
● Include the habit in your routine. Plan your daily routine around the habit you want to form. For instance, when you want to inculcate a habit of brushing your teeth twice a day regularly, make it a point to not eat anything before you brush in the morning and not eat after brushing at night. You can ensure this by preventing yourself from walking into the bathroom rather than the kitchen after waking up and walking into the bathroom to brush before you hit the bed at the end of the day.
Conclusion
Your relationship with your health is like a security blanket. For many of us, it’s an aspect of our lives that we simply take for granted — that is until something happens to interfere with it. Think about it: if your health were only as good as you felt on the surface, you wouldn’t likely spend much time thinking about it. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. But what you can do about it is important. And the one thing that almost always increases your likelihood of maintaining a healthy lifestyle is making small, constant changes in your life.
