Want to learn more about the science of habit formation? Take a look at this newsletter from the National Institutes of Health that explains some of the research conducted in this realm of neuroscience. Repetition has been found to play a key role in the development of both good and bad habits. However, pleasure-based habits are the ones that are most difficult to break because the dopamine released in the brain during these activities makes your body crave them even more. Read here for a more in-depth look into the brain's complex pleasure systems.

If you happen to be among the millions of people looking to break your most harmful habits, this Science Daily article offers advice on how to change your behaviors, based on the scientific findings of psychologist Wendy Wood. Or, if you'd simply rather feeling less alone in your hard-wired patterns, enjoy the results of these recent YouGov polls. You might be surprised (and comforted) to see just how many bad habits plague the average American.