itstargetnews
Healthy habits like exerciseGOODNESS sleepand drinking in moderation can pay off not just in quality of life, but in length of lifetoo.
Like that new research presented at the annual conference of the American Society for Nutrition in Boston last year.
Researchers analyzed data on nearly 720,000 military veterans aged 40-99, who were followed over time. Those who adopted the eight healthy habits saw a 13% reduction in mortality compared to those who did not.
Forty-year-old children who adopt all eight healthy behaviors can gain between 23 (for women) and 24 (for men) years of life expectancy, according to the research team, mostly composed of scientists affiliated with Harvard and the Department of Veterans Affairs in Boston.
The benefits of positive lifestyle changes have only been studied in veterans, Xuan-Mai Nguyen—a medical student at Carle Illinois College of Medicine in Champaign, Ill., and a researcher on the study—said. Good luck. But it makes sense that they would also benefit civilians.
“These lifestyle factors are not new ideas, and for the general population to incorporate them into their lifestyle may improve overall well-being,” he said.
8 lifestyle tweaks that can extend your life
So, what are the eight healthy habits that have apparently extended the lives of hundreds of thousands of veterans?
1. Never smoke
The life expectancy of smokers is at least 10 years shorter than that of non-smokers, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The good news: If you quit smoking before age 40, you can reduce your risk of dying from a smoking-related disease by about 90%.
2. Being physically active
In the study, those who got 30 minutes or more of moderate or vigorous physical activity a day were considered physically active. Such people should be able to walk up a flight of stairs without wind, according to Nguyen.
3. Frequent binge drinking
Study participants whose maximum daily consumption of alcoholic beverages in the previous month was four drinks or less were considered heavy drinkers. Those who drank five or more drinks a day on their heaviest drinking day in the previous month were considered heavy drinkers.
4. Good sleep
Participants who got, on average, seven to nine hours of sleep a night and did not suffer from insomnia were considered to have good sleep. Insomnia is defined as having one or more of the following symptoms: difficulty initiating sleep, difficulty staying asleep, and/or waking up early in the morning, with restless sleep or excessive daytime sleepiness.
5. Eat healthy food
Those who generally follow a plant-based diet are considered to have a healthy diet.
6. Live a minimal-stress life
Chronic stress can improve a person’s biological (or epigenetic) clock, potentially shortening their lives, according to a Yale-based study in 2021. Fortunately, relaxation is possible set the clock back.
7. Have positive social relationships
Loneliness is a greater risk factor for early death than obesity and physical inactivity, compared to the risk associated with smoking and drinking, found some studies. In fact, the US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy has declared loneliness a public health epidemic this year. When it came to the study, participants were considered to have positive social relationships if they had someone to talk to, hug, or otherwise interact with at least 50% of the time.
8. Avoid opioids
US opioid deaths hit record high in 2021, according to federal dataas if encouraged by the isolation of the pandemic. Those using opioids such as hydrocodone, fentanyl, and oxycodone for more than two weeks at risk of addiction. There are medications to treat those with opioid use disorders, and to make withdrawal more bearable. But they’re not always easily accessible, according to a White House fact sheet.
The three most impactful habits when it comes to prolonging life: exercise, not getting addicted to opioids, and not smoking. Those without these healthy habits were 30%-45% more likely to die during the study.
Stress, binge drinking, poor diet, and poor sleep were associated with a 20% increase in death during the study period. A lack of positive social relationships adds a 5% increased risk of death.
While adopting all eight items by age 40 is ideal, adopting at least one—or a few—at any point in life can help, the researchers say. A 60-year-old with all eight healthy behaviors can expect to see less than 20 years of gain, and an 80-year-old about 10 years. A 40-year-old with just four of the healthy habits saw about a 10-year increase in life expectancy, and an 80-year-old about five years.
“The sooner the better, but even if you make a small change in your forties, fifties, or sixties, it’s still beneficial,” says Nguyen.
More on aging:
