Increase Your Lifespan by Up to 2 Decades With These 8 Habits

A recent study discovers that 8 habits can add up to 20 years to people's lives.

Highlights:

A recent study highlights the importance of building habits by middle age to reap a healthy and long life
Getting adequate exercise, sleep, social interaction, and nutritious eating can help you live a longer life
It's also a good idea to manage stress and stay away from binge drinking, smoking, and opioid addiction

Everybody looks for ways to add years to their life. Well, here’s some good news: A new study suggests that you can add years or even decades by incorporating some healthy habits in your middle age.

According to observational research presented at the 2023 annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition, which was held in Boston, lifestyle variables such as obtaining adequate exercise while avoiding dangerous behaviors such as excessive drinking and smoking have been related to living up to 24 years longer.

Researchers from the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health analyzed data from more than 700,000 US veterans ages 40 to 90 to compare their lifestyle habits with health outcomes over time.

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‘Here are 8 simple and easy ways you can live up to two decades longer and it’s a lot easier than you think. #longevity #habits’

Habits Linked to Healthier, Longer Lives

Researchers identified the following habits as being linked with longer, healthier lives:

Getting Enough Exercise
Eating Healthy
Stress Management
Having a Good Social Life
Getting Enough Sleep
Avoiding Smoking
Avoiding Binge Drinking
Avoiding an Opioid Addiction

According to the study, men who started adopting these eight practices by the age of 40 could live an additional 24 years longer than men who did not practice any of the habits. Thes practices were also connected to a 21-year increase in average lifespan for women.

"We were really surprised by just how much could be gained with the adoption of one, two, three, or all eight lifestyle factors," Xuan-Mai T. Nguyen, a health-science specialist at the Department of Veterans Affairs who is a rising fourth-year medical student at the Carle Illinois College of Medicine, said. "The earlier, the better, but even if you only make a small change in your 40s, 50s, or 60s, it still is beneficial."

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Exercise is Crucial in Living a Long, Healthy Life

A significant amount of research has connected regular exercise to improved health outcomes, such as a decreased chance of severe illnesses like heart disease and cancer, as well as a better mood.

Aerobic, or cardio exercise and strength training, including weight lifting, appear to be beneficial, according to research. According to several studies, combining cardiac activity with weight training may be beneficial to overall health ().

You don't have to work out for hours every day to reap the benefits of exercise (). Short exercise breaks throughout the day have been demonstrated in studies to benefit your health (). If you have a hectic schedule, recent research reveals that putting in a lengthier workout of up to two and a half hours on the weekend can also benefit your health.

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Using a Healthy Diet to Stave Off Disease

While the specifics of a healthy diet can vary depending on personal preference, research consistently shows that eating patterns like the Mediterranean diet, which is rich in nutrient-dense plant-based foods like vegetables, fruits, beans, whole grains, nuts, and seeds, are associated with the best health outcomes. Plant meals provide a range of vitamins and minerals, as well as fiber, and carbohydrates essential for digestive health ().

Evidence also suggests that longevity-boosting diets include healthy fats like olive oil and fatty fish. Protein is a key nutrient for maintaining muscle mass and metabolic health. Good sources of protein include lean meats, seafood, dairy, and legumes ().

Eating habits such as the Blue Zones diet, which contains lots of plant-based protein and fiber sources such as beans, have also been related to living a longer, healthier life ().

According to experts, no one meal can make or break a healthy diet, but some foods should be consumed in moderation for a longer life. Consuming too much processed food heavy in added sugar, fat, and salt may be harmful to our health ().

Get Good Sleep To Lead a Healthy Life
Sleeping more time while in bed and being awake for 20 minutes or less after initially falling asleep are other key determinants of good quality sleep.

Say No to Smoking, Binge Drinking, and Opioid Addiction to Live Longer

Some habits can be harmful to your long-term health, and consistent data demonstrates that smoking, drinking alcohol, and narcotic drug abuse are unsafe.

Smoking is a primary cause of avoidable mortality in the United States, and stopping smoking offers both long-term and short-term health advantages ().

Alcohol is also connected to an increased risk of major illnesses such as cancer and heart disease. While some data shows that no amount of alcohol is safe. Binge drinking is the most dangerous kind of consumption which includes four or more servings of alcohol for women and five or more for males within two hours ().

Opioid addiction, or dependency on substances such as prescription pain relievers, heroin, or fentanyl, is responsible for more than 60,000 fatalities in the United States each year due to overdose ().

Strong Relationships can Help Boost your Lifespan

Loneliness may be a key risk factor for chronic disease as we age, according to mounting evidence. And some research says it's equally as dangerous as smoking or eating poorly ().

Studies indicate that social relationships can also have a favorable impact on other lifestyle elements, such as assisting you in maintaining a healthy diet (). A wonderful approach to hold yourself accountable and complete your workout is to exercise with friends.

Fight Stress to Fight Early Death

While it might be difficult to completely eliminate stress, there are strategies to keep it from ruining your life. Stress can be a source of health issues as well (). Stress may be reduced by adopting lifestyle practices including breathing exercises, writing, meditation, and good social interactions.

Getting Enough Sleep is an Excellent Anti-Aging Tool

Sleep may not be the most glamorous of longevity secrets, but there is compelling evidence that enough sleep is essential for overall health. A good night's sleep (seven to nine hours) can aid your immune system, restore everyday damage to cells and muscle tissues, and improve your mood ().

Skipping out on sleep on a regular basis can also disturb other healthy behaviors, such as prompting you to eat more junk food.

Even though these pointers aren’t exactly revolutionary, it is important to remind yourself that everyday habits really do add up in the end. Follow these tips and watch yourself live a healthy, happy life!

References:

Independent and joint associations of weightlifting and aerobic activity with all-cause, cardiovascular disease and cancer mortality in the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial - (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36167669/)
Accelerometer-Derived "Weekend Warrior" Physical Activity and Incident Cardiovascular Disease - (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37462704/)
Non-occupational physical activity and risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer and mortality outcomes: a dose-response meta-analysis of large prospective studies - (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36854652/)
Mediterranean diet and longevity - (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11242471/)
Defining a Healthy Diet: Evidence for The Role of Contemporary Dietary Patterns in Health and Disease - (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32012681/)
Lessons from the Blue Zones® - (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK298903/)
Poor Nutrition - (https://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/resources/publications/factsheets/nutrition.htm)
Smoking and Cigarettes - Fast Facts and Fact Sheets - (https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/fast_facts/index.htm)
Understanding Binge Drinking - (https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/brochures-and-fact-sheets/binge-drinking)
Drug Overdose Deaths Remain High - (https://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/deaths/index.html)
Loneliness increases the risk of type 2 diabetes: a 20 year follow-up - results from the HUNT study - (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36168066/)
Social relationships and healthful dietary behaviour: Evidence from over-50s in the EPIC cohort, UK - (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S027795361300470X)
The Association Between Perceived Stress and Mortality Among People With Multimorbidity: A Prospective Population-Based Cohort Study - (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27407085/)
The Neuroprotective Aspects of Sleep - (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26594659/)