Thread by @kunaaaaaal

How to Hack Willpower (𝚝𝚑𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍)

We know what we need to do to get where we want to.

We know the things that we need to avoid and cut out.

But when it comes to making things happen, we often fail to follow-through and give in to our temptations.

We fail to win these battles because in that moment we lack the required willpower to overcome the resistance.

Imagine what your life would look like if you had the ability to avoid all distractions and check off everything on your to-do list.

You wouldn't be a slave to your urges and feelings.

You'd be able to prioritize the things that are truly important to you.

You'd have freedom in the true sense.

But we can't just think our way into increased willpower. It's not a question of "mental grit".

You see, willpower is a matter of physiology, not just psychology. It has a biological basis, in the brain and the body. And like a muscle, it can be strengthened

In this thread, we'll focus on the physiological aspect of willpower.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞-𝐚𝐧𝐝-𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐞

Say it's Sunday and you have decided to work out in the evening. The evening rolls around and you're lying on your bed, watching stuff on Netflix.

An episode ends and you remember that you had vowed to exercise today.

Netflix is about to autoplay the next episode.

At that moment, there's a conflict in your brain. You could say "fuck it" and let it play. Or you could shut the laptop down and put on your training shoes.

When your brain detects such a conflict (or a possible future regret), it attempts to launch a sequence of events called the Pause-and-Plan response.

The Pause-and-Plan response is basically the opposite of the body's Fight-or-Flight response.

Instead of racing up, your heartbeat slows down. Breathing gets slower. And the body relaxes.

The objective is to put your body in a calm state so that energy can be redirected away from the body to the brain.

The Pause-and-Plan response starts when the prefrontal cortex identifies that another part of your brain is asking you to do something that may make you feel good right now, but is harmful to your long-term goals.

The prefrontal cortex is the locus of self-control.

It is responsible for encouraging the brain towards doing the harder things — hitting the gym instead of letting Netflix autoplay the next episode, picking up a book instead of scrolling through Instagram, working on that project you've been putting off.

But when you're stressed, the body redirects energy to your muscles (fight-or-flight response), leaving your prefrontal cortex hungry.

As a result, your reptilian brain takes over and you switch to an autopilot mode where you behave irrationally.

Stress, therefore, is inherently incompatible with willpower and self-control.

You might have noticed that when you're stressed or anxious, you are more likely to indulge and procrastinate. (That's why stress eating is a thing)

To succeed at our willpower challenges, we need to attain the state of mind and body that directs our energy toward self-control, not self-defense.

This flow of energy is controlled by a primitive part of the nervous system, called the Autonomic Nervous System.

𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐍𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐒𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦

The ANS controls the hundreds of automatic processes going on in your body — digestion, breathing, heartbeat, blood pressure, arousal, etc

The ANS can be divided into two components; the Parasympathetic and the Sympathetic systems.

When our mind perceives any "danger", the sympathetic nervous system functions like an accelerator pedal and turns on the fight-or-flight response.

It triggers the release of stress hormones, providing the body with a burst of energy (which can manifest as anxiety).

On the other hand, the parasympathetic system is responsible for slowing things down and enabling the pause-and-plan response.

Ideally, these two systems would balance each other.

But unfortunately, today, we are exposed to numerous physiological and psychological stressors.

Heavy workloads, poor sleep, isolation, toxic air and water, processed foods, artificial lighting, addictions, sedentary lifestyle, etc.

These things throw the balance off and make the sympathetic nervous system more dominant, damaging your ability to resist temptations.

𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐕𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲

Alright, so how do we measure and track this "imbalance"?

Because without objective metrics, all this stuff remains unactionable content.

The sympathetic system speeds up the heart rate, while the parasympathetic system slows it down.

So by measuring something called Heart Rate Variability (HRV), we can assess the balance of our ANS.

HRV is simply the variation in the time interval between consecutive heartbeats.

A healthy heart does not tick like a metronome — it changes its rhythm with each beat.

When you are stressed, heart rate goes up but HRV goes down.

Because when your heart is beating rapidly, the time between each heartbeat is more orderly and equal.

But when you are relaxed, your heart rate slows down making room for variability between beats.

Heart Rate and HRV generally have an inverse relationship.

When you’re relaxed and calm, your mind has more energy to think rationally and avoid impulsive behavior

That’s why HRV is the single best physiological measurement of our ability to engage the “Pause-and-Plan” response

HRV is such a good indicator of willpower that you can use it to predict who will resist cravings.

Research shows that people with higher HRV are better at ignoring distractions, delaying gratification, and dealing with stressful situations.

Research has also shown that low HRV may be a risk factor for depression and anxiety.

Low HRV is associated with an increased risk of heart disease.

And athletes use HRV to assess recovery and readiness.

It's an excellent marker for overall well-being.

You're going to hear a lot about Heart Rate Variability in the coming years as more and more health startups integrate it in their apps and devices.

There are apps that help you measure your HRV using the camera of your phone. Check out this one called "Welltory".

𝐇𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐇𝐑𝐕

On to the important stuff, how do we increase our Heart Rate Variability, and consequently our willpower?

Nothing ground-breaking, it's the usual stuff (as always, the key is to turn these things into habits):

𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴

It's amazing how our respiratory system influences the nervous system.

Allowing us to alter our mental state simply by controlling how we inhale and exhale.

Slowing down your breathing activates the parasympathetic system, giving you the necessary headspace to resist temptations and think rationally.

Most people take 12-16 breaths each minute. This kind of shallow breathing directs energy away from your brain and exacerbates stress.

If you can train yourself to take just 6-8 breaths a minute, you will have much more control over your behavior. Because when your breathing is calm, the mind follows.

𝗘𝘅𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗲

The impact of exercise on self-control is fairly established.

Consistent aerobic exercise increases the stroke volume, thereby lowering the resting heart rate.

This creates more space for variability between heartbeats.

And unlike the effects of controlled breathing, exercise creates lasting changes.

This is on top of the numerous neurobiological benefits of exercise.

𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

When you meditate, you are training your mind to not give in to distractions and stay focused.

Over time, this training starts reflecting in your day-to-day life.

Also, meditation is perhaps the best defense mechanism against psychological stressors.

It reduces sympathetic activity and helps you establish a consistently calm mind.

A Yale University School of Medicine study demonstrated that smokers who participated in a mindfulness meditation practice showed improvements in their HRV and ended up smoking fewer cigarettes.

This is why Exercise and Meditation are keystone habits that create a domino effect in every area of your life.

Apart from these habits, it's important to cut out all the psychological and physiological stressors I mentioned earlier.

These stressors damage your willpower and as you might have already inferred, it can become a vicious cycle

For me, the biggest takeaway from learning this stuff has been that our mind and body are intricately connected. What you do for your body impacts your mind and vice-versa

If you made it this far, thank you for reading.

And if you found this stuff valuable, please show some love to the first tweet. Cheers.