Who wouldn’t like to live a longer life? More importantly, who wouldn’t prefer to enjoy their sunset years in fine health and good spirits? Modifying your current lifestyle in relatively minor ways could greatly improve your future, so no matter what your current age, consider using the tips below to learn how to live longer.
How to Live Longer
Watch your diet. Let’s start with one of the more obvious influences on longevity: diet. What you eat greatly influences your health, your risk of heart disease and obesity, and even your risk of memory loss. Focus on eating many vegetables and fruits as well as nuts, healthy fats, and whole grains.
Be active. Research has proven that sitting for long periods of time can shorten your lifespan and increase the likelihood of other health risks (source). So get up! Take a walk, stretch, dance, play golf, do yoga, take an exercise class – whatever sort of physical activity you prefer, so long as it keeps you moving. Exercise is the single best thing you can do for your health (source), and even mild and moderate exercise can provide a significant benefit.
Limit your time in front of the TV. We aren’t asking you to give up TV entirely (we aren’t crazy!), but limiting the time you spend with your television could lengthen your life. Even a minor change can have a significant impact: each additional hour of daily TV-watching increases your overall risk of dying from heart disease by 18% (source).
Have an active social life. A strong social network of friends, family, and other acquaintances can help you combat loneliness and depression. In some cases, a poor social life can be as dangerous to your health as high cholesterol or smoking! Maintain valuable relationships in your life, and be on the lookout for new friends.
_____
In addition, many factors can help you predict whether you will live longer than most people. So if any of the following apply to you, congratulations! You are more likely to live longer:
- Your grandparents had long lives.
- You are not obese.
- You got married.
- You don’t suffer from chronic stress.
- You look younger than your age.
- You jog at least 60 minutes a week.
- You have an active social life.
- You have a small waist.
- You believe your life has meaning.
- You drink a little alcohol.
- You sleep for about 7 hours each night.
- You eat a Mediterranean diet.
- You lift weights.
- You had a child after age 40 (applies to women only, of course).
- You never smoked.
With just a few minor changes, you could greatly increase your chances of living a long and healthy life. Focus on making changes that make you happy in the present as well. For example, if you don’t like broccoli, find other vegetables to eat (perhaps asparagus or carrots are more to your liking). And if you don’t like yoga, try dancing or water aerobics. With a good attitude and some enthusiasm, learning how to live longer can be both fun and productive.
Looking for an assisted living community in Tennessee? Check out Hearthside Senior Living in Collierville. Our warm and inviting community makes it easy for seniors to embrace a healthy lifestyle, with home-cooked and restaurant-style meals, exercise classes, and a nurse devoted to residents’ health and wellness. To learn more about our amenities and services, please give us a call at 901-854-6590 or contact us online.