Most people want to live a longer life, but a long, happy life filled with vitality and good health is the most rewarding. Like Abraham Lincoln said, “And in the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.”
Let’s take a look at how you can add years to your life and life to your years. How long you live doesn’t just depend on your diet, exercise and genetics. Research shows that other factors like relationships affect longevity and vitality.
8 SECRETS TO A LONG, HAPPY LIFE
Below are some of the things you can do to live a long life full of energy and joy.
1. Build quality relationships.
The people you spend the most time with have a huge impact on your longevity and happiness. According to an eight-decade study conducted by Harvard researchers, people with good social connections are healthier, happier and live longer.
The study findings show that it is not the number of relationships that matters but the quality. Having one or two best friends is better than having ten frenemies.
In fact, a connection to friends, family, and neighbors is a major factor in why people in Sardinia happily live to age 100 and beyond.
2. Be meticulous.
Don’t let anyone make you feel bad for being careful and keen to detail. This trait can help you live longer than your carefree friends.
According to one of the biggest studies on longevity, people who are well organized, disciplined, persistent, and hardworking live longer than their laidback counterparts. The study explains that meticulous people are more likely to make better diet choices, follow doctor instructions, avoid drugs and choose better marriage partners.
3. Laugh and smile more.
Remember to laugh cheerfully every day for a healthy life. Laughing or smiling doesn’t just boost energy and reduce stress. Research shows that laughter can lower risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, and arthritis.
It is important to mention that research hasn’t established a direct link between laughter and longevity.
4. Eat unprocessed foods.
You probably know that diet affects how long we live. Unprocessed foods — such as vegetables, nuts, fruits, and healthy fats like olive oil — can help you live longer.
Add these seven foods to your diet to lengthen your lifespan and keep your heart healthy.
5. Set daily goals.
Having something to look forward to every day will keep you motivated, and purposeful living can reduce chances of being depressed.
In places like Japan where there are many centenarians (a person who lives beyond 100 years), there is a lot of emphasis on living a life of purpose. Try to plan what you will do the next day before going to bed.
6. Walk every day.
I’ve talked about the benefits of walking in my previous articles. Going for a short walk every day can help you lose weight, reduce stress, strengthen your bones and improve heart health.
Even though I haven’t found research directly linking walking to longevity, it is clear that walking is an everyday activity in regions where people live longer. Other light exercises like tai chi, yoga, and stretching can also keep you young.
7. Meditate every day.
You are not doing yourself any good by putting off meditation. Meditating for a few minutes every day can reduce stress, increase energy and boost longevity.
Research shows that meditation can help keep your cells young since it lengthens telomeres. It can even change your genes! Even short sessions of one to five minutes can be beneficial.
8. Fast at least once a month.
Does even the thought of fasting make you feel hungry? The truth, is fasting doesn’t trigger hunger pangs as most people assume. You may feel hungry for the first few hours, but that hunger will soon disappear.
Studies have linked fasting or caloric restriction to healthy aging. People who fast frequently have lower risk of cognitive decline and early death.
No comments:
Post a Comment