Essentials: The Science of Making & Breaking Habits
Andrew Huberman, Professor of Neurobiology and Ophthalmology at Stanford School of Medicine, explains how to create and break habits. He introduces two systems: one aligned with daily rhythms and another based on a 21-day cycle, along with tools like task bracketing and replacement behaviors for lasting change.
Deep Dive Analysis
14 Topic Outline
Introduction to Habits and Neuroplasticity
Goal-Based vs. Identity-Based Habit Formation
Variability in Habit Formation Time and Limbic Friction
Understanding Linchpin Habits and Their Impact
Habit Strength, Context Dependence, and Automaticity
Tool: Reviewing Procedural Steps for Habit Formation
Tool: Task Bracketing for Robust Habit Embedding
Phase-Based Habit Plan Aligned with Daily Rhythms
Phase 1: Morning Habits (0-8 hours after waking)
Phase 2: Afternoon Habits (9-15 hours after waking)
Phase 3: Evening Habits (16-24 hours after waking) & Sleep Consolidation
Habit Flexibility and Achieving Context Independence
Tool: The 21-Day Habit Program
Tool: How to Break Habits Using Replacement Behaviors
7 Key Concepts
Neuroplasticity
Neuroplasticity is the process by which the nervous system changes in response to experience, forming new neural circuits and pathways that make certain habits more or less likely to occur. It is the underlying mechanism of learning and habit formation.
Limbic Friction
Limbic friction is a term coined to describe the strain or activation energy required to overcome states of anxiousness, tiredness, or lack of motivation when trying to engage in a particular activity or thought pattern. Managing limbic friction is key to forming habits easily.
Linchpin Habits
Linchpin habits are specific behaviors that, when performed, make it significantly easier to execute many other desired habits. These are always activities that an individual genuinely enjoys doing, creating a positive cascade for other behaviors.
Habit Strength
Habit strength is measured by two criteria: how context-dependent a habit is (whether it's performed regardless of environment) and how much limbic friction is required to perform it regularly. Strong habits are context-independent and require little limbic friction.
Automaticity
Automaticity refers to the state where the neural circuits for a habit can perform it automatically, without conscious effort or significant limbic friction. This is the ultimate goal for any habit one wishes to form and maintain.
Task Bracketing
Task bracketing is a powerful mechanism involving specific brain circuits (dorsolateral striatum) that become active at the beginning and end of a habit. It sets a neural imprint, making a habit reflexive and context-independent by priming the brain for its execution.
Procedural Memory
Procedural memory involves holding in mind the specific sequence of steps required for a particular outcome. Mentally stepping through the actions of a new habit, from start to finish, can significantly increase the likelihood of performing and maintaining that habit.
7 Questions Answered
Goal-based habits aim for specific, immediate outcomes each time they are performed, like completing a cardio session. Identity-based habits link the immediate goal to a larger overarching theme, where one is trying to become a certain type of person, like 'a fit person' or 'an athlete'.
The time it takes to form a habit is highly variable, ranging from 18 days to as many as 254 days for different individuals and habits, according to a 2010 study by Lally.
Limbic friction describes the effort needed to overcome states of anxiety or fatigue. High limbic friction makes habit formation challenging, while a lower threshold for activation energy facilitates easier habit adoption and execution.
Linchpin habits are enjoyable activities that, when consistently performed, make it easier to execute other, potentially less appealing, habits. They act as a foundation, biasing the likelihood of performing other desired behaviors.
You can prepare your brain by mentally stepping through the procedural steps of the habit from start to finish. This simple mental exercise activates the same neurons required for execution, making the actual performance of the habit easier.
While specific scheduling helps in the short term, long-term habit consolidation relies more on anchoring habits to your brain and body's state (e.g., alert vs. calm) rather than precise times. This allows for greater flexibility and context independence once the habit is formed.
To break a bad habit, immediately after performing the unwanted behavior, engage in a replacement positive habit. This links the bad habit to a good one, remapping neural circuits and reducing the need for constant conscious intervention.
19 Actionable Insights
1. Adopt Identity-Based Habits
Link habits to a larger identity (e.g., ‘a fit person,’ ‘an athlete’) rather than just immediate goals. This provides a larger overarching theme and goal, making the habit more robust and easier to maintain.
2. Prioritize Linchpin Habits
Identify and prioritize certain habits you enjoy doing (e.g., resistance training, running) that, when performed, make it easier to execute many other desired habits. Place these enjoyable linchpin habits typically early in the day to leverage their positive impact on subsequent behaviors.
3. Implement 21-Day Habit System
Set out to perform six new habits per day for 21 days, with the expectation of completing four to five of them each day. This system focuses on building the habit of performing habits, rather than just specific ones, allowing for flexibility and preventing burnout.
4. Phase 1: High-Friction Habits
Schedule habits with the highest limbic friction (hardest to engage in, requiring the most activation energy) during the first 0-8 hours after waking. This phase naturally elevates norepinephrine, epinephrine, and dopamine, making it easier to overcome resistance and perform challenging new habits.
5. Phase 2: Low-Friction Habits
Schedule habits that require very little override of limbic friction (e.g., journaling, practicing music, learning a language) during the 9-15 hours after waking. This phase, characterized by rising serotonin, lends itself to a more relaxed state, making these ‘mellower’ activities easier to consolidate.
6. Optimize Sleep Environment
During the 16-24 hours after waking (Phase 3, sleep), ensure your environment has very low to no light and keep the room temperature low. This supports deep sleep, which is crucial for neuroplasticity and the consolidation of habits triggered during waking hours.
7. Immediately Replace Bad Habits
To break a bad habit, immediately after its execution, engage in a replacement positive habit that is easy to execute. This re-maps neural circuits by linking the bad behavior to a good one, removing the need for constant conscious awareness before the bad habit.
8. Visualize Habit Steps
Mentally step through the entire procedure of a new habit from start to finish (e.g., walking into the kitchen, turning on the espresso machine, drawing espresso). This simple mental exercise, done once or twice, sets in motion the necessary neurons and lowers the threshold for actual execution.
9. Test Habit Context Independence
Once a habit feels effortless and requires little limbic friction, test its strength by moving it around somewhat randomly to different times of day or circumstances. If you can still perform it, it has achieved true context independence, indicating it’s deeply formed in your nervous system.
10. Be Patient with Habit Formation
Understand that the time it takes to form a habit varies widely among individuals and habits, ranging from 18 to 254 days. Don’t be discouraged if a habit takes longer to form for you, as variability is normal.
11. Allow for Habit Slips
Within the 21-day habit system, if you miss a day and don’t perform four to five habits, do not try to compensate by doing more the next day. This built-in permission to ‘fail’ makes the system more adaptable and sustainable.
12. Assess Habits After 21 Days
After completing the 21-day deliberate habit schedule, stop and assess how many of the six habits are automatically incorporated into your routine. Only add more new habits once the previous set has become reflexive.
13. Ensure Proper Hydration
Drink electrolyte mixes (containing sodium, magnesium, and potassium, without sugar) dissolved in water, especially first thing in the morning and during physical exercise. This supports optimal brain and body function and prevents cognitive and physical performance diminishment from dehydration.
14. Optimize Sleep Temperature
Regulate your sleeping environment’s temperature, as your body temperature needs to drop 1-3 degrees to fall and stay asleep, and increase 1-3 degrees to wake refreshed. Tools like smart mattress covers can automate this process.
15. Minimize Light During Night Waking
If you wake up in the middle of the night, use the minimum amount of light necessary to navigate your surroundings safely. Bright light inhibits melatonin, making it very difficult to fall back asleep.
16. Taper Bright Light in Phase 2
In the second half of the day (Phase 2), try to start tapering the amount of really bright light you’re getting, unless it’s sunlight at a low solar angle. This supports the natural rise of serotonin and a more relaxed state.
17. Use Heat Exposure in Phase 2
Engage in heat exposure activities like sauna, hot baths, or hot showers in the second half of the day (Phase 2). These activities tend to support a high-serotonin, calm, and relaxed state, beneficial for habit consolidation.
18. Gap Between Food and Sleep
Consider putting a gap of two to four hours between your final bite of food and when you go to sleep at night. This practice can be beneficial for falling and staying in deep sleep, though individual tolerance varies.
19. Consider Sleep Supplements
To improve the quality and depth of your sleep, consider taking a comprehensive sleep supplement (e.g., AGZ, containing magnesium threonate, theanine, chamomile extract, glycine, saffron, valerian root) 30-60 minutes before sleep.
5 Key Quotes
It's estimated that up to 70% of our waking behavior is made up of habitual behavior.
Andrew Huberman
Limbic friction is a shorthand way that I use to describe the strain that's required in order to overcome one of two states within your body.
Andrew Huberman
Linchpin habits are certain habits that make a lot of other habits easier to execute.
Andrew Huberman
The goal of any habit that we want to form is to get into what's called automaticity. Automaticity is fancy language for the neural circuits can perform it automatically.
Andrew Huberman
By being able to do the same thing that we want to do regardless of time of day or circumstances, that's how we know that we've achieved a real habit formation.
Andrew Huberman
3 Protocols
Phase-Based Habit Plan
Andrew Huberman- Divide the 24-hour day into three phases based on hours after waking: Phase 1 (0-8 hours), Phase 2 (9-15 hours), and Phase 3 (16-24 hours).
- During Phase 1 (0-8 hours after waking), when neurochemicals like norepinephrine, epinephrine, and dopamine are naturally elevated, place habits that have the highest degree of limbic friction and require the most activation energy.
- During Phase 2 (9-15 hours after waking), when serotonin levels begin to rise, focus on habits that require very little override of limbic friction, such as mellower activities like journaling or practicing music.
- During Phase 3 (16-24 hours after waking), prioritize conditions that support neuroplasticity and habit consolidation, such as very low to no light, a cool room temperature, and a gap between the last meal and sleep. Minimize light exposure if waking up during the night.
21-Day Habit Program
Andrew Huberman- Identify six new habits you would like to perform daily for 21 days.
- Aim to complete four to five of these six habits each day, allowing for flexibility and 'permission to fail' without punishment.
- Avoid 'habit slip compensation' – do not try to do extra habits the next day if you miss some on a given day.
- After 21 days, stop deliberately following the schedule and assess how many of the six habits have become automatically incorporated into your routine.
- If you successfully embedded all six habits, you can repeat the 21-day process to test their reflexivity further or introduce new habits. If not, continue to work on the un-embedded habits in subsequent 21-day cycles.
Breaking Bad Habits Through Replacement
Andrew Huberman- Identify a bad habit you wish to break.
- Immediately after executing the bad habit, engage in a replacement positive behavior.
- Ensure the replacement behavior is positive and relatively easy to execute, to avoid adding more struggle.
- By consistently linking the bad habit with an immediate positive replacement, you begin to remap the neural circuits associated with the unwanted behavior, creating a 'double habit' that starts with the undesired action but ends with a beneficial one.