Living a longer life isn’t just about chance or the genes you’re born with. Most of it really does come down to how you live every day. What you put in your body, how you get out of it, and everything else you do to survive will really help determine how you die. While there’s no shortcut, scientists have identified a few patterns that suggest you remain stronger, longer. Here are five simple longevity habits you can begin now.
1. Eat Balanced, Real Food
Loading up on vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and lean protein supports your body to age with grace. In contrast, consuming lots of factory foods or sugar can lead to real problems down the line.
As a matter of fact, the diet that gets plenty of praise is the Mediterranean diet: olive oil, fish, nuts, fresh produce, and beans. It’s easy and not intimidating to swap olive oil for some butter or to eat more legumes in lieu of some red meat: your taste buds will learn.
2. Keep Your Body Moving
You don’t have to run marathons—a body in motion is the key to a long life. Your body helps make your heart healthier, mood more joyful, and brain more generally sound. Even a walk for about 30 minutes each day will help.
Basically, it is better to keep yourself in some kind of motion instead of pushing yourself too hard. Statistically, people who move more feel better and live longer. Try walking, stretching, dancing or getting stuff done around the house.
3. Build Healthy Routines Into Your Day
Some of the healthy things you’re doing are a really good idea. Make sure you laugh and see your friends regularly. They keep you laughing and feeling like you belong. Stress and good sleep might do as much for you as all the kale and cardio in the world. And it all comes together to help you feel your best more often. Eating well and staying active are very important, along with other aspects of your daily life.
4. Don’t Skimp on Sleep
More than a simple energy recharge, sleep is essential for letting your body recover and keeping it sharp. Heart problems, memory issues, and diabetes: if you don’t sleep enough, your risk goes up.
People need about 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night on average. If you go to bed and wake up at the same time each day, your body gets into a rhythm. To help, try to put your phone away earlier, dim the lights, or read a book to calm down.
5. Say No to Harmful Habits
Even if you do any one of them, it will take years of your life. For example, smoking affects almost every body system, and it can take more time away from a smoker’s life than other dangerous habits. Drinking too much alcohol also has cardiovascular and other long-term health implications.
Eliminating or lowering these habits has significant health and social benefits and does not have to occur simultaneously. If you bring down the “volume” or ask for support after realizing that you need assistance, it will help.
It’s About Enjoying Life, Not Just Extending It
Rather than merely living as long as possible, people do, in fact, desire to live their lives meaningfully. This makes a good diet, regular activity, sufficient sleep, and the company of loved ones even more essential. Everything about life is enhanced. It is never too late to begin. One little change impacts another, and you build a healthy life before you even know it.
