A new year means a New Us. I am sure we are excited to take on this year’s resolutions by creating a few new habits, while also trying to leave behind a few. You might have learned from various inspirational figures over the internet that striving for a healthy lifestyle requires consistency. But have you wondered what goes around in the brain that allows people to stay consistent and make new habits? Well, the answer is neuroplasticity, which is the inherent ability of the brain to adapt and change in reaction to internal and external stimuli.
Neurons communicate through synapses between the cells, where chemicals called neurotransmitters are released. Neurotransmitters transfer signals from one neuron to the next, forming a synaptic pathway. A new synaptic pathway is formed as you absorb a new way of thinking, or learn new information. The more a synaptic pathway is used, the stronger it will get. However, if you don’t reinforce those pathways, they will become weaker and eventually dissolve away through the process called synaptic pruning, which is your brain’s way of disposing of unused connections. As new stimuli are experienced, the brain adapts to it by making new connections.
Therefore, to create a healthy habit, we must engage in that activity repeatedly, without overdoing it in the beginning, and following a timely routine, to strengthen that pathway. Moreover, Self-directed neuroplasticity, defined as changing your brain activities and strengthening neural connections, is also known to benefit anyone trying to make lifestyle changes. It essentially just positively rewires our brain, impacting both our mental and physical health. So this new year, let’s put neuroplasticity into action and build a healthy lifestyle.
