Two studies, two timelines: 59 and 66 days for a habit to become automatic
The review covered eating and health habits, with estimates that varied by behavior and person.
The key idea
These studies did not identify one date when a habit becomes automatic: timelines varied by behavior and person.
The study, in plain language
The question was when a health behavior began to feel automatic. The team gathered research on everyday habits, many involving eating and dental hygiene, and compared habit strength and the timelines each study had found.
Habit scores rose between the initial and final measurements. The findings on time were different: only four studies reported it directly, and two gave medians of 59 and 66 days, with wide variation between people. Each timeline depended on the behavior and how that study measured it, so the results were not combined into one figure.
What they found
- Few studies directly measured how long it takes a habit to form.
- Estimates of typical timing came from different studies and do not establish a universal timeline.
- Habit strength increased between the start and end of the studies reviewed.
Something to think about
If you are building a habit, does it feel like a countdown? Here, timelines varied by behavior and person: the calendar did not tell the same story for everyone.
How they studied it
A systematic review brought together 20 studies with 2,601 participants. It could combine changes in habit scores, but described timelines separately because few studies measured them using comparable methods.
What the study cannot show
- Few studies reported how long the process took, so their timelines could not be combined.
- Measures relied on participants’ responses, and studies used different methods.
- The review does not show that PaperFlow reduces social media use.
The original study
Time to Form a Habit: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Health Behaviour Habit Formation and Its Determinants
Source under CC BY 4.0. English adaptation and explanation by PaperFlow, with AI assistance. The text has been reorganized for a general audience; it is not the complete paper and does not imply endorsement by its authors.
One study alone does not represent a field's consensus. Educational content does not replace professional advice. Report a possible error.
