5 Amazing facts about habits that'll change the way you perceive life!

Habits are things you do on a daily basis. These things can either be good or bad for you.  It depends on you whether you consider them helpful and decide for it to stay or realize that it's bringing you no good.  It's important to know how they work in order to call it quits.

Fun fact - it's easier to make a habit than to break one. 

Read on to know more such facts about habits that'll change the way you look at life:

Did you know that most of the things you do are out of habit?

Yes, almost half of the time we are awake, we exhibit behaviors that are automatic. Maybe it's muscle memory? Well, that's a whole new topic! But, getting back to this, a study from Duke University concluded that nearly 45% of our day to day behaviors are out of habit, that is automatic.  We carry out most of our daily tasks without even being aware of it! It's like our body just knows what to do.  See the power of habit? A human body is miraculous indeed!

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How many times have you insisted your friends to quit smoking?

You must get tired of telling them the same thing time and again. It must be infuriating to see them do the same thing the very next day even after they promised you to quit it. Do you think they don't realize the adverse effects of smoking? They know it very well.  Then why can't they quit? We know it's a habit and we also know that habits are tough to get rid of.  But perhaps,  they are way tougher than we can even imagine. There's this thing called basal ganglia in our brain. They are a group of subcortical nuclei that controls our motor functions,  behaviours etc. They are responsible for voluntary motor control, eye movement, and cognitive functions etc. It has a key role in our learned behaviors. These are behaviors that we learn and are modified with time and consequences. These behaviors become habits. Now things like breathing,  running, eating, swallowing are all stored here since thousands of years.  Can you ever forget how to eat or breathe? Sounds impossible, right? This is how a smoker feels, too. It's hard to get something (a habit, to precise) out of the basal ganglia. Some habits are so deeply rooted there that even brain damage won't be able to erase it.

Habits are actually a gift

They end up saving a lot of your time and energy.  Imagine having to learn to walk,  eat, or even breathe every single day.  With habits, you can operate on autopilot mode.  You can infact multitask, thanks to habits! You can brush your teeth, or do the dishes, while you plan your whole day out; or think about what to cook for dinner! When you do something everyday,  the behavior is recorded in your brain.  So that, not much of cognitive effort is required to do it again and again.  That way you're saving up a lot of your mental energy and your conscious mind doesn't need to exhaust itself out. That's why, you can get ready for work early in the morning even when you are sleepy. Isn't that amazing?

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It takes 66 days to change a habit

Though the time can vary from person to person, researchers have found out that it takes around 66 days to alter a habit. But of course, it depends on how strong the habit is and how adamant the person is, to change the habit!

There might be habits that aren't doing you any good

Like, maybe waiting for that goodnight text from your ex, or not getting a wink of sleep without drinking everyday.  Ever wondered why these habits are more difficult to break? Habits are also caused by unknown feelings that lie deep within you. Perhaps,  it's time for you to explore that hidden feeling and acknowledge its presence. It can be strange and uncomfortable at first,  but it's important that you embrace it and let it have your attention.  Once you've identified it, let it slowly leave you in order for you to be free. You'll realize you've come out the other side feeling liberated.