Healthy Habits: The Medical Science of Building Routines That Stick By Dr. Nicholas Church, Somerset Medical

This week we’re featuring a guest post from my guy, Dr. Nick Church of Somerset Medical here in Atlanta. If you’ve ever struggled to build habits that stick, Nick breaks down the science behind why and how to finally create routines that support your energy, health, and peace at home. Enjoy.

We’ve all made resolutions that faded after a few weeks — to exercise more, eat better, sleep earlier. The truth is, building healthy habits isn’t just about willpower. It’s about working with the way your brain and body are wired. When you understand the science behind routine formation, you can make small, realistic changes that compound into something powerful.

In my practice here in Atlanta, I often remind patients that healthy habits are less about discipline and more about design. Let’s look at why.

Your Brain Loves a Shortcut

Habits exist because your brain is efficient. Every time you repeat a behavior — whether it’s grabbing your phone first thing in the morning or taking a walk after dinner — your brain reinforces a pathway between the cue, the action, and the reward. Over time, that pathway becomes automatic.

The part of the brain responsible for this is the basal ganglia, which manages patterns and repetition. The more consistent you are, the stronger that circuit becomes. That’s why healthy routines feel hard at first but gradually require less effort — your brain is literally rewiring itself to make them easier.

Start Small, Win Big

The biggest mistake I see is trying to overhaul everything at once. Your brain resists major change because it perceives it as stress. Instead, start with something achievable — five minutes of stretching, one extra glass of water, taking the stairs instead of the elevator.

Those small wins release dopamine, a neurotransmitter that signals pleasure and motivation. Dopamine isn’t just about feeling good — it’s how your brain learns what’s worth repeating. Each small success trains your brain to crave more of the same progress.

Consistency Beats Intensity

In the physiology of habit formation, repetition matters more than duration. Walking briskly for 10 minutes every day creates stronger neural pathways than running for an hour once a week.

Studies show that it takes roughly 66 days on average for a behavior to become automatic. That means showing up daily — even imperfectly — is what turns effort into instinct. Your body responds too: regularity helps regulate circadian rhythms, blood pressure, and even digestion.

Stack, Don’t Strain

One simple trick that works for many of my patients is habit stacking — pairing a new behavior with an existing one. For instance, if you already brew coffee every morning, take your daily vitamin or practice a short mindfulness exercise while the coffee brews.

By anchoring new actions to something familiar, you reduce the mental friction of remembering to do them. Your brain loves predictability — stacking habits takes advantage of that built-in bias.

Why Accountability Works

Humans are social by nature, and accountability reinforces commitment. Whether you share goals with a partner, a friend, or a doctor, consistent check-ins provide external reinforcement while your internal motivation builds.

In medicine, we see this with preventive care. Patients who schedule regular follow-ups are far more likely to sustain long-term improvements in weight, sleep, and stress management. Small conversations lead to measurable progress.

From Micro Habits to Major Results

Think of each small, consistent change as a deposit into your health account. Over time, those deposits compound — lowering blood pressure, stabilizing weight, and improving energy and focus. You don’t need to chase perfection; you need to chase progress.

Your routines, once automatic, free your mind for bigger goals. That’s the quiet power of healthy habits: they make the right choice the easy choice.

The Takeaway

Healthy habits aren’t built overnight — they’re built neuron by neuron, day by day. Start with one manageable change, attach it to something you already do, and repeat it until it becomes second nature. The results will come, not from force, but from flow.

About the Author

Dr. Nicholas Church is a board-certified internal medicine physician and founder of Somerset Medical, a concierge primary care practice in Atlanta’s Old Fourth Ward. His approach combines evidence-based medicine with everyday practicality — helping patients simplify health, strengthen habits, and take charge of their long-term well-being.