In studies looking at voluntary breathing frequency changes (“ramps”), Stankovski et al noticed a difference in a number of physiological factors whether a subject was in a fast-to-slow or a slow-to-fast ramp.

“We posit the existence of a memory within human autonomic pathways, such that the history of how breathing frequency changes occur, may be more important than the actual breathing frequency of the moment.”

It turns out, this time factor is important in a lot of our physiology!

Dr. Raymon Peat, PhD, suggests that if one is to start to eliminate polyunsaturated fats from their diet (which he states are inflammatory and the cause of a number of health issues), it can take up to three years for us to get them out of the system (including tissue and brain).

When we look at the brain and the concept of “learned helplessness,” of course we come to “learning” – the non-fixed change in response of a behaviour to a stimulus.

This process as a whole again has a time delay.

How do we use this? 

When we look at a habit, a change, a development to a new skill or new behavioural pattern, the history and accumulated events leading up to the present moment or event are perhaps more important than what’s happening now.

This is essentially just our physiology confirming that the long game is the only one that matters. Although we are chaotic systems, the imprints, history and longer term patterns are usually more important what is going on this minute.