🛏️ Why You Have to Make Your Bed

Welcome back to Hugo’s Habits 🧠 

Happy Sunday.

(P.S. Make sure you take some time this fine morning to check out the best links section. Some amazing content in there! 👇️ )

In today’s issue:

• The neuroscience of making your bed

• Understanding dopamine and the brain’s reward system

• The cognitive advantage of getting work done early

• and more…

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(Estimated read time: 3.5 minutes)

Best Links This Week ⚡️ 

Here are the best articles and information I found this week while researching 👇️ 

🧠 Cool Neuroscience Shit

Mapping Disease Trajectories from Birth to Death with AI (link)

Viagra Shows Promise as Alzheimer’s Treatment (link)

How the brain changes with learning (link)

AI Outshines Humans in Creative Thinking (link)

📋️ Practical Tips and Strategies

How to Wake Up Early: 7 Expert-Tested Tips (link)

How to Get More Done in Less Time (link)

10 Secrets to Getting 90% of Your Work Done Before Noon (link)

🔬 Updates from Research

Doctors can now watch spinal cord activity during surgery (link)

How the Brain Coordinates Speaking and Breathing (link)

A Cutting-Edge Way to Treat Alzheimers (link)

Could We Assess Autism in Children With a Simple Eye Reflex Test? (link)

In neuroscience, the seemingly minor act of making your bed each morning and the strategies behind optimizing productivity are not just about discipline;

they are deeply intertwined with the science of habit formation and the intricate workings of the human brain.

🛌 The Neuroscience Behind Making Your Bed

Starting your day by making your bed is a practice lauded not only for its organisational benefits but also for its psychological impact.

This simple task activates a chain reaction within your brain's reward system.

Completing this task triggers the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and satisfaction.

This release not only enhances your mood but motivates you to tackle subsequent tasks, effectively setting a positive tone for the entire day.

Engaging in such a routine shows the principle of ‘task initiation,’ a critical component in the neuroscience of habit formation, demonstrating how small actions can lead to significant behavioral changes over time.

🧠 Understanding Dopamine: The Neurochemical Key to Motivation

Dopamine is often referred to as the "feel-good" neurotransmitter, playing a pivotal role in how we experience pleasure and motivation.

Its function goes beyond mere reward; it's crucial for learning and habituation. When we anticipate a rewarding experience, our brain releases dopamine, not only to enjoy the reward but also to reinforce the behaviors that led to it.

This mechanism is central to developing new habits and maintaining them.

Using this understanding, we can create a framework for reinforcing positive habits and gradually phasing out our negative ones.

This is also the neurological system responsible for addiction.

Understanding the mechanics can help you prevent falling into potentially damaging addictive behaviors.

🌞 The Cognitive Advantage of Early Mornings

Embracing tasks in the early hours taps into our brain's peak performance state often referred to as the morning 'sweet spot.'

During these hours, our prefrontal cortex, responsible for decision-making and problem-solving, is at its most active.

This period is ideal for engaging in tasks that require focus and creativity.

Moreover, completing tasks early in the day not only leverages our cognitive peak but also provides a sense of accomplishment that fuels further productivity throughout the day.

This strategy aligns with the concept of 'cognitive momentum,' where early successes lead to sustained motivation and efficiency.

The integration of simple routines such as making your bed, understanding the motivational role of dopamine, and capitalsing on the cognitive benefits of early morning productivity is not merely tips for better living.

They are rooted in the fundamental principles of neuroscience and habit formation.

By applying these insights, we can adopt a more disciplined, efficient, and fulfilling life.

That’s all for this week!

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This newsletter is designed for you to introduce habits to allow every reader to be the happiest, healthiest, and wealthiest version of themselves! 🧠 💷 

See you next week,

Hugo.

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