We’re living longer than ever. The average American born in 2013 will be alive nearly four years longer than someone born 20 years earlier (NCBI). Current 25-year-olds can expect to live 2.4 more years and current 65-year-olds can look forward to 1.7 extra healthy years than people who lived two decades back (Eurekalert).
Unfortunately, not everyone can live to 100. And while a lot of factors are out of our control (genetics, medical history, etc.), there are a lot of lifespan-enhancing practices you can adopt today.
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After scouring the research and seeking advice from centenarians themselves, HuffPo found 100 ways to improve your odds of a long and healthful old age. Here are some of ForMen.com’s favorites:
- Find reasons to laugh.
In a 2012 study published in the journal Aging, researchers from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Yeshiva University identified certain personality characteristics that a group of 243 centenarians had in common. Among them? A love of laughter. “They considered laughter an important part of life,” the lead researcher said (Huffington Post). - Find a life purpose.
In the centenarian hotspot of Nicoya, Costa Rica, residents cultivate a plan de vida, which means “reason to live,” According to the website, Blue Zones. “This sense of purpose often centers around spending time with and providing for their family,” the site says. “This often results in centenarians retaining an active lifestyle, reaping the benefits of physical activity and exposure to the sun.” According to Blue Zones, a 60-year-old Costa-Rican man has roughly twice the chance of living to 90 as a man living in the United States (Blue Zones). - Go nuts.
Eating nuts could keep you from dying early, according to a study in BioMed Central. The study, based on data from 7,000 people ages 55 to 90, showed that nut-eaters — who in the study were more likely to have a lower body mass index and waist circumference — had a 39 percent lower risk of early death, and walnut-eaters in particular had a 45 percent lower risk of early death(Huffington Post).
RELATED: Just eating a handful of nuts a day can have tremendous results
- Walk a lot.
The 123-year-old Carmelo Flores Laura, potentially the oldest living person documented, says he owes his longevity to regular exercise. “I walk a lot, that’s all. I go out with the animals,” Flores told the Associated Press (New York Post).
RELATED: How many steps per day do you really need to walk?
- Try a little retail therapy.
Who doesn’t love an excuse to go shopping?! A 2011 study found that frequent shoppers live longer. The study examined Taiwanese men and women over 65 and found that daily shopping lowered risk of death by 28 percent for men and 23 percent of women, AARP reported. And if you’re worried about the state of your wallet, you’re in luck: The benefits hold up even if you don’t buy anything, WebMD reported. - Head for the hills.
You may hear more often about the perils of altitude sickness, but it turns out that heading to new heights may be a good move. A 2011 study from the University of Colorado School of Medicine found that the 20 U.S. counties with the highest life expectancy had an average altitude of 5,967 feet above sea level (Eurekalert). That added 1.2 to 3.6 years to a man’s life, and six months to 2.5 years to a woman’s and lowered all residents’ risk of dying from heart disease, the researchers found.
- Don’t dread getting older.
Turns out, your outlook on aging might play a role in the number of birthdays you celebrate. According to a study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology in August, adults who developed positive attitudes about getting older lived more than seven years longer than those who had negative attitudes. Think of each candle as an accomplishment! (APA) - Get busy.
Spending a little extra time between the sheets may add years to your life. A 2010 study of 1,165 middle-aged men showed that having sex once a month or less is linked with a 45 percent higher risk of heart disease than having sex two to three times a week, WebMD reported. And women who enjoy sex may live up to eight years longer than women who don’t (Huffington Post).
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- Buddy up at the office.
Making friends at work is good for more than productivity. Tel Aviv University researchers followed 820 adults for 20 years and found that the ones with the most social support from coworkers lived the longest. The lone wolves with no pals in the office? They were 2.4 times more likely to die during the study (Science Daily). - Grow from trauma.
In an astounding display of resiliency, a study showed that male Holocaust survivors lived longer than men of the same age group who immigrated to Israel before Nazi rule. The study’s authors write that this counterintuitive finding could be a display of “post-traumatic growth,” leading these men to “greater meaning and satisfaction in their later lives.” (Plosone)
- Pick up the pace.
Have a friend or family member you just can’t keep up with? Natural speed walkers have an edge, and not just for calling shotgun. The fastest walkers seem to live the longest, according to a study of over 34,000 older adults from 2011 (JAMA). Unfortunately, powering up your next walk around the block won’t exactly add candles to your birthday cake. It appears to be your natural walking speed that predicts lifespan and not something you have much control over, researcher Stephanie Studenski told Discovery News. - Have a little extra. (But steer clear of obesity!)
In research that defies the conventional wisdom, overweight people are less likely to die from any cause than are normal, underweight and obese people. Researchers found that having a BMI between 25 and 29.9, a measure that describes about 30 percent of the U.S. population, was associated with longer life (Huffington Post). - Believe in your own good health.
Researchers often ask elderly patients to rate their own health. Those who report feeling crummy actually have a higher risk of death than those who self-assessed as “excellent,” “good” or “fair.” While much of that is likely because these people accurately assessed that they were unwell, it certainly doesn’t hurt to have a positive outlook (Aging Stats). - Think about… death.
It sounds counter-intuitive, but contemplating your mortality may actually help you live a longer life. According to research in the Personality and Social Psychology Review (SPSP), being self-aware about our inevitable passing impacts our compassion for others. Even more, studies have shown that when we’re reminded of death, we’re more likely to make better decisions about our own health, like using sunscreen, smoking less and exercising more (Science Daily).
Curated article from the Huffington Post
Relevant sources and studies:
NCBI
Eurekalert – Sept 2013
Huffington Post – May 2012
Blue Zones
Huffington Post – July 2013
New York Post
AARP
WebMD – Apr 2011
Eurekalert – Mar 2011
APA
WebMD – Jan 2010
Huffington Post – Feb 2013
Science Daily – Aug 2011
Plos One
JAMA
Discovery News
Huffington Post – Jan 2013
Aging Stats
SPSP
Science Daily
