How to Develop a Healthy Habit

Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic, many people have experienced disruptions to their daily routines and health habits. From reduced physical activity [1] and increased daily screen time [2] to changes in eating patterns [3], these shifts have impacted physical health and mental health conditions. This is partly because the brain prefers routine: once a habit is formed, the brain tries to keep it, even if it’s no longer beneficial [4].

With the pandemic behind us, replacing unhealthy habits with more positive habits is essential for maintaining long-term health. This guide offers evidence-based strategies to help you build healthier habits that support your overall well-being.

What is a Healthy Habit?

Healthy habits are defined as “a set of conscious, repetitive behaviors that promote physical, social, and mental well-being” [5]. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) [6], these habits are essential for maintaining long-term health and preventing chronic diseases. Whether it's eating well, exercising regularly, or managing stress, healthy habits lay the foundation for overall well-being.

The Science Behind Creating Healthy Habits

The transition from an unhealthy to a healthy habit often feels like an uphill battle, and there’s a scientific reason for that. According to Judson Brewer’s study Craving to quit: Psychological models and neurobiological mechanisms of mindfulness training as treatment for addictions [7], changing our habits means fighting against one of our brain’s most primitive survival instincts: positive and negative reinforcement.

This process goes through 3 steps:

Trigger → Behavior → Reward → Repeat

Example: Being hungry → Eating food → Feeling good → Repeat

The problem arises when the brain applies this same mechanism to difficult or negative situations. You might feel stressed or sad, not physically hungry, but the habit loop kicks in anyway.

Example: Being sad → Eating food → Feeling good → Repeat

This creates a new pattern that your brain reinforces. Over time, this loop becomes automatic, creating habits that may not be beneficial in the long term.

Why Habits Are Hard to Break

The answer lies in how our brain functions under stress. In our brain, there is a zone called the prefrontal cortex (front part of our brain). It is responsible for logic, control, and rational behavior [7]. During high-pressure moments, it tends to "switch off." This gives way to another part of our brain, the “Reptilian brain”, the most primitive part. It is responsible for our instincts and unconscious behaviors.

This system is essential for survival, like pulling your hand away from a hot stove without thinking. However, when it comes to breaking a bad habit or developing a healthy one, this instinct can work against us. When trying to get rid of a given habit, we are attempting to control our instinctive behavior, which, under pressure (happening quite often in our daily life), falls apart.

Strategies for Developing Healthy Habits

Changing a habit can feel overwhelming. But the good news is that you can interrupt the old cycle and train your brain to adopt a new one. Judson Brewer suggests a new virtuous cycle:

Notice the Urge → Get Curious → Feel the Joy of Letting Go → Repeat

This technique is grounded in mindfulness, a practice that helps you observe your urges without immediately acting on them. By pausing and reflecting, like asking yourself whether you're truly hungry or just tired or stressed, you give your rational brain a chance to re-engage. Over time, this new habit loop can help override the old one.

Let’s say you’re craving sweets. Instead of reaching for the nearest candy bar, pause. Take a deep breath, drink some water, or go for a short walk. Then reassess: are you still craving them? If you are, and you choose to indulge, do so without guilt. That shift in awareness is key. Your body is smart; it usually knows what it truly needs. Once real hunger returns, you might find yourself reaching for something more nourishing and healthy foods like fresh vegetables.

Often, the urge to fall back into a bad habit is influenced by stress and instinct rather than reason. That’s why slowing down and identifying what’s really behind the craving is so important. The more you understand the emotional or situational triggers driving your behavior, the more control you can regain. There are many strategies to help manage stress levels: by reducing it, it becomes easier to recognize which habits truly serve your well-being, and which ones are worsening your quality of life.

Stages of Habit Formation

Changing health behaviors isn’t an overnight transformation, it’s a process. The Stages of Habit Formation model is rooted in behavior change theory, particularly the Transtheoretical Model (TTM) [8], which explains individuals move through distinct phases when adopting new habits. This model recognizes that motivation, readiness, and commitment change over time, and that people need different types of support depending on where they are in their journey. By identifying which stage you're in (Contemplation, Preparation, Action, or Maintenance), you can apply strategies that match your current mindset and build sustainable, healthy routines.

Contemplation: Are you thinking of making changes to your habits?

If you're considering shifting to a healthier lifestyle, reflect on your health goals. Are your daily habits aligned with your aspirations? It’s crucial to understand the health benefits of adopting positive behaviors that contribute to your overall well-being.

Preparation: Have you made up your mind to create healthy habits?

Adopting a healthier lifestyle begins with a clear decision. Reflect on your current daily habits and the health issues you may want to prevent or manage. Whether it’s improving physical health, managing stress levels, or enhancing mental health conditions, making the commitment is the first step toward positive behavior change. Consult a health professional if needed to define realistic health goals that align with your life.

Action: Have you started implementing healthy changes?

Congratulations on taking the first steps toward better well-being. Whether you’ve increased physical activity, improved your balanced diet, or worked on reducing your alcohol consumption, you're creating a foundation for lasting health. Reinforce these efforts by staying connected with your social interactions and seeking support when needed.

Maintenance: How to keep your healthy habits in place long-term.

Long-term changes require structure. Build routines around regular exercise [9], adequate sleep, and essential nutrients. Keep your lifestyle behaviors aligned with your values and assess your health behavior regularly. With time and dedication, your actions can not only improve your current well-being, but also reduce the risk of cognitive decline, support longevity, and improve your overall quality of life, a claim supported by multiple long-term studies.

For instance, a study published in The BMJ [10] found that older adults who followed a healthy lifestyle, like eating a balanced diet, staying physically active, and keeping their minds engaged, experienced a slower rate of memory decline over a 10-year period, even among those with genetic risk factors for dementia.

Additionally, the Caerphilly Heart Disease Study [11] demonstrated that men who maintained four or five healthy behaviors over 30 years experienced a 64% reduction in cognitive impairment and dementia.

These findings highlight how significant an impact that consistent healthy lifestyle choices can have on both mental and physical well-being over time.

How to Develop a Habit Step-by-Step

Creating lasting change in your life doesn’t happen by accident; it’s built through intentional, repeatable actions. Whether you're aiming to improve your physical health, boost mental clarity, or simply feel better day to day, developing healthy habits is the foundation. This step-by-step guide walks you through practical strategies to build habits that stick, from setting clear goals and starting small, to staying motivated and tracking your progress [12]

1. Set Clear and Specific Goals

Effective goal setting transforms intention into progress. Define measurable objectives. For example, “150 minutes of aerobic activity per week” or “increase water intake to 2 liters per day.” These goals support your larger goals like improving brain health, reducing chronic diseases, or maintaining a balanced lifestyle.

2. Start Small and Be Consistent

Sustainable change starts with manageable actions. Replace poor diet choices with healthy foods or improve sleep quality by going to bed on time. Even small adjustments, like introducing micro-breaks into your workday, can lead to long-term improvements in cognitive function, emotional health, and energy levels.

3. Use Triggers and Cues

Tie new healthy habits to existing routines. Place a water bottle on your desk to prompt regular water intake, or set a reminder for your activity routine. These triggers help reinforce consistency, especially during stressful times when it's easy to slip back into old patterns.

4. Reward Yourself

Celebrate your achievements, no matter how small or big they are. Rewards reinforce positive habits and increase the likelihood of achieving your goals, helping you maintain motivation. Choose healthy activities as rewards, such as a walk in nature, rather than those that might increase alcohol consumption or sugar intake.

5. Track Your Progress

Monitoring your behavior helps you stay on track. Use a journal or app to track your habits. This visibility enhances accountability and highlights the positive impact of your efforts over time.

6. Be Patient and Persistent

Adopting healthy lifestyle habits is a long-term commitment. Change doesn’t happen overnight, but action over time leads to a permanent lifestyle shift. Understand that setbacks are normal and focus on consistency rather than perfection.

Healthy habits are easy to start, but how do you make them last?

Long-term success comes down to three key elements: overcoming challenges, staying motivated, and building a sustainable healthy lifestyle. To do this, it's important to maintain consistency, stay adaptable, and cultivate self-awareness. Although challenges, like fluctuating motivation or external pressures, may arise, keeping your focus on larger goals helps you stay on track. By developing a realistic routine and adjusting lifestyle behaviors over time, you strengthen your overall well-being. In addition, regular reflection, seeking support when needed, and creating a clear plan can help reinforce your positive habits and lead to lasting health benefits.

How Long Will It Take to Create a Healthy Habit?

While many people believe it takes just 21 days to form a habit, research shows it varies greatly depending on the individual and the habit itself. So, if you are still struggling after three weeks, don’t get discouraged!

Health psychology researcher Philippa Lally from the University College of London conducted an interesting study [13] on this topic. Published in the European Journal of Social Psychology, the study followed 96 participants over a 12-week period as they worked to develop new habits. The results revealed that it took an average of 66 days for a behavior to feel automatic. However, the time required varied significantly depending on each person’s mindset, personality and circumstances.

Remember, building a healthy habit is not a race: it’s a journey unique to each person. Embrace the process, celebrate small wins and trust that with time and consistency, lasting change will follow.

How Sunstar Supports Healthy Living

Sunstar’s mission is rooted in helping people everywhere live longer, healthier lives. Recognizing the essential link between oral health and overall well-being, Sunstar collaborates with leading academic institutions and dental professionals to advance research in this area. These efforts include promoting studies that explore the links between oral health and systemic health, which often result in the development of clinically proven oral care products and healthy foods that support overall health.

To learn more about how Sunstar is contributing to healthier living, explore our Healthy Thinking page, where we share insights and research about our commitment to wellness and the latest in health innovation. Additionally, you can explore our businesses to see the diverse range of industries and products we support in our mission to improve lives globally.

Bibliography

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