Creature of behavior? It’s an indication it’s possible you’ll be caught in a rut…

People are creatures of habit, drawn to familiar routines that offer comfort and ease.

But the same daily rituals that give our life structure and stability could also mean we are stuck in a rut.

Nearly half of Britons prefer to play safe with what they know when it comes to the food they eat and the TV shows they watch, according to research.

However, leading psychologist Dr Sophie Mort – who works with mental health firm Headspace – warns that being too set in your ways could leave you feeling flat and unfulfilled.

According to the study, some 46 per cent of us believe that sitting in the same place on the sofa every night is a sign we could be stuck in a repetitive loop.

It is closely followed by shopping at the same supermarket every week (44 per cent) and always buying the same brands (36 per cent).

And a third believe that rewatching the same television shows and drinking tea out of the same mug every day are signs we could be a prisoner of habit.

The poll of 2,000 people by soft drink maker Dr Pepper also found that taking the same place at the dinner table (29 per cent) and ordering the same dishes at the same restaurants (27 per cent) point to the same problem.

Nearly half of Britons prefer to play safe with what they know when it comes to the food they eat and the TV shows they watch, according to research

And around a fifth said that eating the same lunch almost every day, taking the same route to work and even having a favourite ring on the cooker indicate an over-reliance on routine .

‘For many of us, repetition feels good. There is quiet comfort in familiarity, offering reassurance, belonging and a sense of stability,’ Dr Mort said.

‘The brain also favours habits because they conserve energy; behaviours become automatic, requiring very little conscious thought. This leads us to habitually reach for the same mug or settle into the same seat.

‘However, the difficulty begins when routine is no longer chosen, but unconscious.

‘When our days run entirely on autopilot, without variation, the brain receives less stimulation, days blur, and mood can begin to flatten.

‘Over time, that’s when people start to feel quietly stuck, not because life is wrong, but because it has become too predictable.’