Do These 10 Things Now to Stay Younger Than Your Years
| 3 min read
Don’t underestimate how much control you have over how well you age. According to a recent study, the biggest factor in how healthy you are as you get older isn’t your genes, but the way you live your daily life. And while that means obvious things like flossing every day, wearing sunscreen and never smoking, there are other healthy behaviors that you may not have thought of. The best part is that no matter your current age, you can change and adopt new behaviors that will have a big impact on your life. While changes can’t happen overnight, minor adjustments can help point you in the right direction. Here are some habits your future self will thank you for:
- Learn how to relieve stress. When feeling tense, some people reach for alcohol, others complain constantly and some keep to themselves. Instead of following suit, which can leave you in turmoil (or hung over), try walking or running around the block, picking up a paintbrush or even spending the evening volunteering.
- Don’t get too much sleep. We know it’s best to have at least seven hours of sleep a night, but many studies suggest sleeping longer than nine hours increases your risk for a number of serious health conditions, as well as an earlier death.
- Stay connected. Having a support system (like a significant other, family or friends) is by far one of the most important things in keeping both your mental and physical health strong and healthy for decades.
- Stand up. According to analysis of existing data, BMJ Open found sitting for less than three hours a day could add two years to your life.
- Find a reason to laugh. According to a study published about healthy aging, those who lived to they were 100 had one characteristic in common: They loved to laugh and considered it an important part of their life.
- Walk. A lot. Carmelo Flores Laura, potentially the oldest living person documented at age 123, said he owed his longevity to regular walking. And don’t just stroll; walking faster is the key to living longer.
- Practice yoga. In addition to regular exercise, doing some downward dogs has been shown to decrease stress and provide anxiety relief, as well as increase flexibility and improves balance.
- Eat broccoli. One study found regularly consuming plants from the mustard family, such as cauliflower, cabbage and broccoli, positively impacts your longevity.
- Turn off the TV. Every hour of TV you watch after age 25 cuts your lifespan by 22 minutes according to 2012 research. Although TV show marathons sound like a great idea, make an effort to get up and take a break every 30 minutes to counteract this frightening statistic.
- Exercise proper form. Invest in at least one session with a personal trainer who can teach you exactly how do to certain exercise moves to maximize results, decrease injury and improve your overall health.
This blog post is part of #HealthyMe, a personalized web experience based on your health and wellness goals. To sign up today, visit http://www.ahealthiermichigan.org/healthyme
Photo credit: TheArches
