Building healthy habits
The science is in the compliance
Health is part immunology, part psychology
The science is in the compliance! Consistency counts when improving your health.
A recent study that I co-authored revealed that nearly three-quarters (69%) of the UK do not think their immune system is up to scratch and 32% of adults make resolutions to better support their immune system. We have all tried (unsuccessfully) to make New Year’s Resolutions frequently centred around improvements to health. But it doesn’t just happen at the new year. A new day or the start of a week or month are also popular times to start. This is down to the ‘fresh start effect’.
The Fresh Start Effect
The "fresh start effect" is a phenomenon where people feel motivated to make significant changes in their lives during a period of transition or new beginnings, such as at the start of a new year, a new week, or after a birthday. The idea is that these temporal landmarks provide a psychological break from the past and offer a clean slate for individuals to make positive changes and set new goals for themselves.
Research has shown that people are more likely to start a new habit or pursue a new goal after a temporal landmark because they perceive it as a natural opportunity for change and a chance to start fresh. For example, people are more likely to start a new diet or exercise program after the holidays or on the first day of a new month.
The fresh start effect can be a powerful motivator for people who want to make positive changes in their lives. By taking advantage of these temporal landmarks and using them as opportunities for change, individuals can increase their chances of successfully achieving their goals and making lasting improvements to their health and well-being.
Habits for health
Within psychology, habits are defined as automatic behavioural patterns, in response to a situation in which the behaviour has been performed repeatedly and consistently in the past. When a new action is performed, an association develops between the environmental cue and action, and repetition of this action reinforces and establishes this association in our memory. Habits will strengthen over time and eventually become automatically activated, following increased repetition of the behaviour.
Our health is the result of our behaviours which means improving our health is best approached as a long-term process of developing and implementing healthy habits. Contrary to popular opinion, there is no average time to develop healthy habits. Studies looked at this have shown the average to be 66 days, however, the exact duration varied widely between individuals which remind us that there is no one-size-fits-all.
In my second book, Your Blueprint for Strong Immunity, I discuss why habits are a cornerstone of improving your immune system.
There are several science-based ways to build healthy habits. Here are some of them:
Start small: Make your habit easy to accomplish in the beginning by making them small and achievable. This will help you to establish momentum and increase the likelihood that you will stick to your habit over time. By small I mean so small that you can achieve them on a bad day as well as a good day.
Set clear goals: Clearly define what you want to achieve with your new habit. For example, using the S-M-A-R-T framework can be useful: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound.
Make a plan: Develop a plan for when and where you will carry out your habit. This will help you to stay on track and make your habit a part of your routine.
Use positive reinforcement: Reward yourself when you stick to your habit. This could be something small, like a piece of fruit or a few minutes of free time.
Find an accountability partner: Research shows we can be positively influenced by others when it comes to healthy habit development. Enlist the help of a friend or family member who will support you in your efforts to build your habit. This will help you to stay motivated and accountable.
Track your progress: Use a journal or app to track your progress over time. This will help you to see how far you have come and stay motivated.
Practice self-compassion: Be kind to yourself when you slip up. Remember that building a new habit takes time, and setbacks are a normal part of the process.
By implementing these strategies, you can increase your chances of building healthy habits that will last a lifetime.
It’s not just about making those good habits but sometimes we have to work hard to break bad ones too. Here are some additional tips for breaking bad habits:
Identify the habit: First, you need to identify the habit that you want to break. Be specific about the behaviour and when and where it occurs.
Understand the trigger: Identify the trigger that leads to the habit. It could be a feeling, a situation, or a location. Understanding the trigger can help you avoid it or find ways to cope with it.
Make it hard or unattractive. Add some friction between you and the thing you are trying to stop.
My daily must-have habits for immunity
For the latest information on the effect of diet and lifestyle on the immune system, I’d encourage you to watch the recent My Nutri Web webinar that I chaired to learn more about the common myths and misconceptions in relation to nutrition and immunity with Dr Caroline Childs. Check out my book Your Blueprint for Strong Immunity if you want to discover my favourite habits for healthy immune function.
For more easy-to-understand and clear information on all things immunity, check out my books.