How to Build Lasting Habits

If you’ve ever tried to stop biting your nails, cut down on sugar, or finally commit to waking up earlier, you’ll know habits can be tough to change. The same goes for building new ones, including sticking to your hair loss treatment plan.

The truth is that consistency is everything when it comes to achieving (and maintaining) results. Missing a day here and there might not seem like a big deal, but it can slow your progress and make treatments feel less effective. The sooner you can turn your routine into a habit, the easier it becomes to stay on track.

Here’s how to make your treatment second nature and build healthy habits that last.

What exactly is a habit?

A habit is an automatic routine which bypasses the decision-making part of the brain. Think: putting your seatbelt on when you get in the car, having a coffee as soon as you get to work, or making your bed in the morning.

These behaviours are powered by repetition. Over time, they become ingrained in your brain’s wiring, bypassing conscious thought and saving mental energy. Research suggests that even small daily adjustments can compound over time, leading to long-term behavioural change.

How to form lasting habits

Dopamine

Use the ‘feel-good’ neurotransmitter to your advantage. Habits, whether good or bad, can develop when the ‘reward’ centre is triggered by doing something enjoyable. The release of dopamine is important in reinforcing behaviour and as a motivation for actions. Interestingly, researchers suggest that dopamine is actually released in anticipation of the reward, rather than in response to the reward itself. You can harness your brain’s biochemistry by building positive associations between something boring – like applying Minoxidil Spray or derma rolling – and something enjoyable. For instance, listening to upbeat music on the morning radio whilst applying Minoxidil can train your brain to associate a boring, routine task with joy.

Reducing friction

Remove barriers to performing the action you want to do so it is as convenient as possible. The less you have to think about doing something, the more likely you’ll do it. You’ve heard it before: pack your bag with your gym clothes the night before or plan your workout ahead of time. In terms of hair loss treatment, we recommend leaving your treatment in plain view, e.g if you want to take your tablets every day after breakfast, leave it in the kitchen next to the toaster.

Habit stacking

With less complex tasks, such as taking an oral capsule like Finasteride or Oral Minoxidil, the challenge may be more about remembering to take it every day, rather than finding motivation. That’s why we recommend pairing it with a pre-existing habit, like brushing your teeth or having breakfast.
Forming habits thrives on repetition, so eventually you won’t even have to think about it anymore; it will become second-nature. Research suggests that it takes about 10 weeks to form habits.

Why is consistency so important?

When it comes to hair loss treatment, using your treatment of choice every day is key to seeing the best possible results. Missing days here and there, or using a stop-start approach, can slow down progress or make results less noticeable. This can lead to frustration and loss of motivation, as you make feel the treatment is not working as well as hoped.

Thankfully, treatments now come in different forms to suit different lifestyles. For example, if applying Minoxidil Spray twice daily feels like a hassle, the oral version may be a more convenient option and easier to stick to.

Take our online consultation to find the best treatment fit for your hair loss and lifestyle.

All of our blog articles are reviewed for medical accuracy by our Medical Director before publication.

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