The average human lifetime has been increasing steadily over the course of centuries, as we’ve found ways to improve medicine, sanitation, safety, work conditions, and overall self-awareness, at least in first world countries. Today, the average life expectancy at birth is about 68.5 years for males and 73.5 years for females — but plenty of people are living well past 80 and even 90. What’s the best way to ensure you’ll live longer? Below are 10 tips to keep in mind.
Manage Stress
When you’re stressed out, you’re more likely to get sick due to a compromised immune system. You’re also more likely to see bags under your eyes turn into wrinkles, or grey hairs peek out amid your natural color. When you’re stressed, fatigue is an everyday feeling, and you having fun seems like a distant memory of your college days.
Then there’s all the research that shows that chronic stress can contribute to heart problems, diabetes, obesity, cancer, asthma, depression, and even Alzheimer’s. The reason why stress can have such a huge impact on our bodies is because it shortens telomeres, the protective caps at the end of chromosomes, which are associated with health and longevity. When telomere length is compromised, our cells age faster.
But here’s the thing: You don’t have to be miserable. Learning to cope with stressful events, depression, or anxiety can make a huge difference on your health and longevity. Slowing down can benefit you even on a cellular level; it prevents them from aging and dying sooner, and can stop your telomeres from shortening.
“[S]tressful events can accelerate immune cell aging in adults, even in the short period of one year,” said Dr. Eli Puterman, an author of a study on stress. “Exciting, though, is that these results further suggest that keeping active, and eating and sleeping well during periods of high stress are particularly important to attenuate the accelerated aging of our immune cells.”
Exercise
What’s the single best thing you can do for your health? Exercise. A recent study found that working out and staying active reduces the risk of pretty much every single chronic disease out there — from cancer to obesity. Exercise lowers symptoms in knee arthritis patients by 47 percent, dementia and Alzheimer’s by 50 percent, diabetes by 58 percent, and anxiety by 48 percent. Feeling stressed and fatigued? Go for a run; it will do you wonders. Studies have shown that more intense exercise is better for you than mild to moderate, but any amount of walking or standing will help.
Don’t Smoke
Smoking can lead to lung cancer, heart disease, skin problems, teeth impairment, and accelerated aging. According to the CDC, overall mortality for male and female smokers in the U.S. is up to three times higher than for non-smokers; cigarette smoke accounts for one of every five deaths each year. For every month or year you quit, you add more years onto your life.
Don’t Do Hard Drugs Or Drink Too Much
Another no-brainer is to stay away from hard drugs like heroin or cocaine (marijuana is a different story; some research shows it may actually be good for you, especially in reducing anxiety and relieving headaches). Drug overdoses and drug-related deaths are pretty high up on the list of causes of death in the U.S., particularly among young people. On that note, becoming an alcoholic will wreak havoc on your liver and other organs, as well as your brain and mental health.
Think Young!
Feeling young can make you young — at least that’s what one recent JAMA Internal Medicine study from the University College London found. The researchers learned that people who felt three or more years younger than they were actually had a lower death rate than people who felt their own age or more than a year older. These results are pretty fascinating, and they’re inspiration for us to not worry about turn
0 comments:
Post a Comment