8 healthy habits that can extend your life by at least 20 years
Miscellaneous / / September 16, 2023
They will bring noticeable benefits, even if you start following them after 40.
In July 2023, a group of US health experts presented results studies involving more than 700 thousand people aged 40 to 99 years. The authors of the work examined data from questionnaires and medical records from 2011 to 2019 and identified patterns of behavior that can increase life expectancy by several decades.
What habits can significantly extend your life?
There are eight factors to focus on if you want to live longer. And you probably already know about them. Here they are:
- Be physically active.
- Maintain good social relationships.
- Observe sleep hygiene.
- Do not abuse alcohol.
- Eat a balanced diet.
- No smoking.
- Minimize stress levels.
- Don't take drugs.
According to the study, those participants who acquired and maintained all eight habits by age 40 lived significantly longer compared to participants who did not adhere to any of them. For women, life expectancy increased by almost 21 years, for men - by 24 years. In addition, among those whose lifestyle included all eight factors, the mortality rate from all causes was 13% lower than among those whose lifestyle did not include any.
What habits should you acquire first?
It is not necessary to comply with all the listed conditions at once to see the result. In addition, it is not too late to acquire most of these habits and after 40 years. However, the sooner you change your lifestyle, the better.
While all eight practices are important for longevity, some make a greater contribution than others. Smoking, drug use and insufficient exercise were associated with a 30–45% increased risk of early death. This means that the associated changes in lifestyle should be made a priority.
For mature and elderly people, physical activity is of paramount importance. Regular exercise not only helps keep the body in good shape and last longer without outside help, but also has a positive effect on the psyche. It will be useful to devote time to three different types of activity: strength training, aerobic exercise and exercises to develop balance and flexibility. As we get older, our muscles lose strength, and this approach will help you stay in shape longer.
The authors of the study emphasize that its results are observational in nature and do not prove a cause-and-effect relationship. In other words, these habits are not necessarily the exact reason why some participants lived longer than others. However, it is an important contribution to understanding how lifestyle, chronic disease and early death are linked.
Find out more about longevity🧐
- What exactly should extend human life in the near future?
- Who are long-livers and how to become one of them: biologist Alexey Moskalev explains
- “You have more years ahead of you than your peers from centuries past.” How long can we live