It’s clear that everyone wants to live a long life, but many people aren’t sure how to do it. If you’re looking to extend your time on Earth and keep feeling healthy while you’re at it, consider incorporating these secrets into your daily routine for healthy life. There’s no secret formula here, but these easy healthy lifestyle habits can help ensure that you’ll be alive (and well) to see many more birthdays!
Exercise, exercise, exercise
Many of us exercise far less than we’d like to. In fact, according to a 2009 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention survey(1), 31 percent of Americans say they did not get any exercise over a 30-day period.
If you want to increase your odds of living longer and being healthier while you’re at it, consider doing more aerobic and muscle-strengthening activities on a regular basis.
Aim for 150 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity per week (or 75 minutes per week if you’re older than 65) spread out in 10 minute increments throughout your day.
Limit Alcohol Consumption
Although alcohol has been shown to reduce stress, it can also affect sleep quality. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism recommends limiting your daily intake of alcohol to no more than two drinks per day for men, and one drink per day for women.
If you are prone to anxiety attacks or insomnia because of stress, cutting out or cutting back on alcohol is a good idea. Alcohol can also cause dehydration, so remember to stay hydrated while enjoying your favorite beverage at night.
Control Stress
Whether it’s work stress, relationship issues, or personal problems, research shows that stress makes you fat. In fact, even being around a lot of people is stressful for some people. Stress triggers cortisol release and has been proven to increase food cravings(2).
If you’re trying to lose weight and live a healthy life, don’t underestimate how important it is to manage your stress levels by staying in control of your emotions.
This might mean limiting screen time on evenings and weekends and setting aside some me time each day where you can relax without distractions like social media.
Get Enough Sleep
It’s really no secret that getting a good night’s sleep is essential to your health. Sleep affects everything from our metabolism to memory and concentration, but that’s not all—sleep also helps regulate hormones, which affect how we burn fat.
In fact, just one sleepless night can reduce levels of leptin (the hormone that makes us feel full) by almost 10 percent.
Other hormones affected by sleep include ghrelin (which controls hunger), serotonin (which triggers satiety and promotes feelings of happiness), cortisol (which increases appetite after a poor night’s sleep), and melatonin (which regulates circadian rhythms). Experts recommend getting seven to nine hours of quality sleep per night.
Eat healthy fats
Saturated fat is associated with increased risk of coronary heart disease (CHD), but not all saturated fats are bad. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats—the good fats—are associated with lower risk of CHD.
Switching out bad fats for good ones can lower your cholesterol and may reduce your risk of having a heart attack or stroke, both major contributors to early death. Good sources of healthy fat include: avocado, fish, nuts, seeds and vegetable oils such as olive oil or flaxseed oil.
It’s also important to choose leaner cuts of meat over fatty cuts whenever possible. Look for at least five grams of fiber per 1,000 calories when selecting packaged foods.
Monitor your salt intake
Most of us don’t eat enough fruits and vegetables, but that’s not our only nutrition problem. When we do eat them, we still make bad choices—we choose overly processed varieties that are loaded with salt and fat, for example.
It’s good to be aware of your daily sodium intake; high-sodium diets raise blood pressure, which increases your risk for heart disease down the road.
You should aim to keep your daily intake below 2,300 milligrams a day (about 1 teaspoon). If you have high blood pressure or prehypertension, aim for no more than 1,500 milligrams a day.
Maintain good relationships with friends and family
While it might seem like spending time with friends and family can cause you to indulge in unhealthy behaviors, there are many health benefits that come from keeping up with those who know you best. Having supportive social ties will help you stay positive and energetic.
This, in turn, has been linked to greater longevity! One study found that women with more friends had lower mortality rates; another showed that middle-aged men who participated in group activities were more likely to report better overall health than their peers who didn’t.
Quality relationships have even been shown to increase lifespan by an average of seven years! Keeping up with friends and family is one way to make sure your life spans for a long time.
Perform meditation on a regular basis
In what could be one of the oldest studies ever conducted, Harvard researchers tracked 268 men for 20 years and found that those who said they meditated had half as many heart attacks as non-meditators, though they did not live any longer.
Meditation isn’t quite as simple as sit down, clear your mind and relax. Experts say meditation may in fact change your brain in a way that improves immune function and blood pressure, making you healthier overall.
The trick is to make time every day to do it—but that just might change your life. Do yourself a favor: Start meditating now! It takes only 10 minutes a day for you to reap its benefits.
Wash with cool water before going to bed
When you wash with warm water before bed, it increases body temperature and raises your heart rate. As a result, you may find it harder to fall asleep or stay asleep all night. Washing with cool water helps bring your body back down to normal temperature after a long day, making it easier for you to relax.
This is especially important in hot weather or during hot flashes. Make sure you don’t go overboard: When washing your hands with warm water and soap for 20 seconds, be sure not to scrub too hard and irritate your skin. Scrub gently and use lukewarm instead of hot water when possible.
Get up early every day
My favorite time of day is when everyone else is asleep and I can just quietly sit and read, play music or write. I try to get up before everyone in my house so that I can read uninterrupted for an hour.
Also Read : Health Benefits of Morning Walk
This has changed my life because it was much easier to do earlier rather than later in our busy day. Finding a quiet place with less distractions will also help you clear your mind and come up with ideas.
Conclusion
Though it is not guaranteed that you will live to a ripe old age, taking certain steps such as eating a healthy diet can maximize your odds. Likewise, maintaining a physically active lifestyle can lower your overall risk of early death. This combined with not smoking, in my opinion, are some of the most important things you can do today to live a healthy life tomorrow. You may think it’s too late to get in the habit of living well, but there’s never too late to do that.
