Six Habits for Longer Life
Want to live longer? Research suggests that these six traits and habits have been identified to aid healthy aging.
1. Get enough rest. Resting up or getting the right amount of sleep is very important to ones health and lifespan. In a 2002 study, it was found that people who reported sleep about seven hours a night produced optimal longevity. Those reporting more than eight hours or less than five hours of sleep had, on average, shorter lifespan.
2. Network with friends. Make friends because when it comes to longevity having a network of friends may be even more important than family. This finding was based on a 10 year study in Australia who found that people with large network of friends were 22% less likely to die over the following decade than people who reported having fewer friends.
3. Eat right. A study composed of 20,000 British participants found that eating at least five servings of fruits and vegetables each day, exercising and not smoking, and moderately drinking some alcohol were habits associated with a potential 14 extra years of life.
4. Keep brain engaged. Use it and don’t lose it. Its a fact that your mind and body will wither away unless you use them so exercising both is very important. Keeping the brain engaged and body moving is necessary. Vigorous exercise extends the lifespan and reduce the risk of death in one Harvard study.
5. Breath fresh air. Living in a polluted city decreases a lifespan of a person.
6. Mind the middle. Trim down the waistline and maintain a healthy weight. These are keys to longer life. In an NIH study, the waist circumference is a strong predictor of mortality especially those with more than 44 inches in men or 41 inches in women.
