Lifestyle changes may seem insignificant, but they can have a powerful impact. Consider the potential for exercise to increase your longevity:
In a person over the age of 30, their heart and lungs carry around 2 percent less oxygen. The same person, however, can burn 3,000 calories a week through aerobic exercise (at least until the age of 80 or 90) and expect to lose a maximum of half a percent of his heart-and-lung capacity each year.
Every cell in the body demands oxygen to function, therefore, this single lifestyle change could affect someone’s life expectancy by 50 years.
The best ways to live a long and healthy life are commonly known and some of them are also enjoyable. Despite their simplicity, some suggestions can have an enormous impact on a person’s life. Here are five tips to living a long life:
- Stay away from smoking
The average smoker dies about ten years sooner than they would if they never smoked, having had their bodies exposed to hundreds of toxic chemicals for their entire adult lives. Quitting smoking can allow you to recover most of those years.
- Make sure you get enough sleep.
Sleep helps you stay healthy and reduce stress. It also keeps your weight in check and gives you energy. To avoid medical sleep disorders, make sure you get adequate sleep each night. A good night’s sleep strengthens your immune system, allows your body to repair and renew its tissues.
- Exercise regularly
A person who exercises regularly lives about five to seven years longer than a person who does not exercise. Walks, for example, strengthen your bones. The heart is strengthened by aerobic exercise. Whenever possible, work out at least 30 minutes per day.
- Eat well
Having a healthy diet high in fruits and vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, and seafood can extend your life. A diet that includes these foods can help prevent disease and boost health by providing vitamins, minerals, and heart-healthy fats.
- Stay stress-free
Numerous health conditions are triggered by chronic stress. Stress likely triggers an inflammatory response within the immune system, which exerts its adverse effects. Stress can be reduced by activities like yoga, massage, meditation, and gentle exercise, for example.