The secret to rewiring your habits lies in your neural pathways

Dr Hala El Khoury, PhD

Have you ever wondered why some habits stick while others quickly fall apart?

Well, today is a brand new day, which is the perfect time to focus on habit and goal awareness.

People often set goals and new habits at the start of the year, but these aspirations frequently fizzle out - a mere New Year’s resolution memory.

We’ll show you how to use neuroscience to effectively hack your habits and achieve your goals, and we'll explain how chiropractic care can support this process. Ready to dive in?

Firstly: What is Neuroplasticity?

To rewire your habits, we need to tap into neuroplasticity. But what is it? Neuroplasticity refers to changes in the brain and its circuits. Your brain and spine are composed of neurons that communicate through neural pathways. Motor neurons carry signals from your brain to your body, while sensory neurons relay information from your body to your brain. Your spinal cord acts as the essential highway for these communications to travel.

Habits are essentially entrenched neural pathways coding for specific behaviors. Unhelpful habits can be hard to shake because their neural pathways are strong and rewarding. However, they’re not permanent—you can reshape or rewire them!

Why is Rewiring Habits So Hard for Most People?

Changing a habit or learning something new often comes with frustration and confusion. This is the brain’s rewiring process as it forms new pathways and synaptic connections. Many people quit during this discomfort phase, not realizing they’re on the brink of something transformative. Studies show that avoiding the challenge only exacerbates the unwanted habit.

Goals vs. Habits - there’s a difference!

Goals originate in the prefrontal cortex, where cognition and planning occur. In contrast, habits are processed in the sensorimotor cortex, driven more by triggers, behaviors, and rewards. Previously, neuroscientists believed these systems competed, but now we understand they can work together. By aligning your goals with your habits, you can create habits that support your objectives.

How to Rewire Your Habits

**Utilize the Trigger, Behavior, and Reward System**

To change a habit, start by altering your internal and external environments to remove triggers for the unwanted behavior. For example, avoid junk food shops and ensure you’re full before shopping.

Next, modify the behavior. Instead of eating junk food, choose healthy, nourishing alternatives.

Lastly, engage your reward system. If healthy eating doesn’t yet trigger a reward response, pair it with something enjoyable, like listening to your favorite music while eating. Your brain will begin associating healthy food with positive feelings.

**Incorporate Goal-Directed Behavior**

Having a strong motivation behind your actions makes habit change easier. Ask yourself what you want to achieve and why:

- What does this mean to me?

- Why is it important?

- What will happen if I succeed?

- What will happen if I don’t?

When you ask these deep questions and connect to your deeply rooted reasons for wanting the change, it’s easier to change the habit! -

**Use Repetition to Strengthen Neural Pathways**

Forming new habits requires repetition. The brain needs consistent practice to establish new neural connections. Be patient and kind to yourself. Regularly revisiting your motivations can help maintain your commitment.

How Chiropractic Care Contributes to Neuroplasticity

Here’s where it gets fascinating! Recent studies suggest that chiropractic care can support the rewiring process.

Chiropractic adjustments can stimulate the vagus nerve, which extends from the brainstem throughout the body, regulating functions like digestion, breathing, heart rate, and hormonal signaling. A well-functioning vagus nerve promotes overall health and can even enhance neurotransmitter levels in the prefrontal cortex. Studies have found that chiropractic care can aid in treating major depression.

The link between spinal manipulation and neuroplasticity is gaining attention. Neuroplasticity improvements were observed in stroke patients after a single adjustment and even more so with long-term chiropractic care. Chiropractic care has also been shown to alleviate tonic pain by rewiring the nervous system. While more research is needed, the existing literature suggests that chiropractic care can enhance the nervous system’s function, aiding the habit-rewiring process by supporting both autonomic functions and goal-directed behavior.

When you set goals or attempt to change habits, consider how chiropractic care can help your nervous system adapt to these changes smoothly.

Soul Aura Chiropractic's Mission

At Soul Aura Chiropractic, our mission is to use a holistic approach, cutting-edge neuroscientific research, and powerful structure-based adjustments to help rewire nervous systems. This not only improves body-based performance but has also been scientifically proven to support the brain in neuroplasticity.

Optimize your brain-to-body connections today, get yourself booked in! Alternatively give us a call on 0478 602 223.