In a VeryWell newsletter, there are several things you can do to "slow down" your biological clock. Whether you're in your 20s or your 70s, research shows it's never too late to start healthy habits.
But what about the things you might stop doing in the name of your longevity? Read on for 10 tips on how to live a long life, ranging from your food choices to your frame of mind.
Stop Eating Mainly Processed Foods
One of the major dietary changes that have taken place in many countries over the last 30 years has been a shift to consuming more processed foods. Along with processing comes an increase in added sodium, more saturated fat, more sugar, and less fiber. The result? More cardiovascular disease, hypertension, cancer, and diabetes.1
For example, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) recommends consuming no more than 2,300 milligrams (less than 2.4 grams) of sodium each day—less for many seniors and other people with certain health conditions, like high blood pressure.
Salt
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Americans consume more than 3,400 milligrams (mg) of sodium per day, on average. Most of the salt comes from restaurants and convenience foods, like baked goods, cured meats, and soup.
Do your body a favor, and try to eat "clean" more often, including foods high in fiber (which are linked to greater longevity) and ingredients you purchase and prepare yourself. If you’re short on time, cook ahead in big batches, or splurge on ready-made salads and other fresh or frozen vegetables while watching the sodium and sugar contents on the label.
Alcohol
In 2023, the World Health Organization published a statement in Lancet Public Health declaring that, when it comes to alcohol consumption, there is no safe amount that does not affect health.4
Stop Smoking
If you’re a smoker, you know how hard quitting can be. But here's some inspiration: The NIH says tobacco use remains the most preventable cause of death. Some estimates suggest smoking can rob you of a decade of life.
Whether you quit cold turkey or phase out your habit, your body is surprisingly forgiving; Blood pressure and circulation improve soon after quitting, and your risk of getting cancer decreases every year thereafter. Plus, you'll look younger, too.
Keep in mind that your family members will also benefit from your staying tobacco-free because they'll no longer be exposed to dangerous secondhand smoke.
Stop Sitting Still
If you don’t feel you have time to exercise, consider this: You may not need to hit the global minimum recommendations of 30 minutes a day, five or more times per week, to extend your life.
A 2022 study found that 15-20 minutes of vigorous activity per week, accrued in short bursts, was linked to a lower risk of dying prematurely.6 These findings suggest that reducing health risks may be possible through relatively modest amounts of exercise, as long as that exercise boosts your heart rate sufficiently.
What constitutes vigorous activity varies depending on your fitness level. Picking up the pace of activities you may already be doing (like walking the dog or shoveling snow) for short two-minute intervals could qualify. If you have trouble holding a conversation while doing an activity, that's a good indicator that you’ve hit the right intensity.
Stop Keeping to Yourself
Staying social can be a good longevity booster, mostly by helping you manage stress and by strengthening your immune system. Good relationships keep you strong, while bad relationships can leave you in a negative frame of mind, and put you at risk of depression and even heart attacks.
Staying connected can be tough if you are feeling down, have lost someone close to you, or live far from extended family and friends. But there are ways to re-engage and meet new people even if you are in a new city, including volunteering and reaching out to others with similar interests through networks like business groups and book clubs.
Stop Thinking That Only Big Changes Count
Sweeping, radical lifestyle changes might be inspiring, but they can also be too daunting—and therefore, short-lived—for ordinary mortals. The next time you resolve to eat healthier or exercise more, try aiming low!
Pick just one small change at a time, like getting up 10 minutes earlier in the morning to fix yourself a healthy lunch for work, instead of a major life makeover. As the exercise advice above shows, even short spurts of activity each day can reap big benefits for your lifespan.
Small shifts can fly under your radar, adding up to big benefits over time without causing stress in your busy world. Consistency is more important than a short-term, grand gesture. Besides, looking at what’s already working in your day-to-day routine can help you feel energized and motivated to tweak a little more in a healthy direction.
Simple Changes, Big Impact
Skipping breakfast, eating late, and overeating have been found to have a profound impact on health, disease, and aging. Doing so adversely affects metabolism and increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, atherosclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and other conditions. Simple adjustments to when and how much you eat show promise as non-pharmacological strategies for improving your health and prolonging your lifespan.9
Stop Letting Fear (or Denial) Keep You From Being Healthy
Of all the personality traits that could affect your longevity, conscientiousness consistently ranks as an important one, perhaps the most important one. Conscientious people tend to engage in healthy behaviors like eating well, exercising, and following their doctors’ advice while avoiding risky behaviors like smoking and driving too fast.
Don’t confuse being conscientious or diligent with being neurotic about your health, a trait that may be linked to anxiety, anger, and depression. For example, a neurotic person might worry they have cancer, and fearing the worst, neglect doctor visits. A conscientious person may still worry but gets screened, tested, or treated in a timely fashion.
Stop Cheating Your Night's Sleep
The amount of sleep you get can affect your lifespan, and not just because a sleepy driver is at risk of a car accident. Per a 2017 meta-analysis, sleeping substantially more or less than the seven-hour optimum was shown to put people at greater risk of death.10
Quality of life is also on the line: A good night’s sleep can help you ward off stress, depression, and heart disease.
You can learn to fall asleep more quickly and take measures that can help, like keeping your bedroom dark and distraction-free and maintaining a cool room temperature. Meditation exercises can set the stage for a good night’s sleep, and an inexpensive noise machine can help with relaxing sounds.
If you’re still having trouble falling or staying asleep, see your healthcare provider for help.
Stop Stressing
Like anger, stress takes its toll on your body and may accelerate aging.11 By trying to reduce stress, you can improve your health in the long term and your quality of life in the meantime.
Journaling or writing in a diary, meditating (a practice with multiple longevity benefits), and learning to relax, are wonderful ways to de-stress.12 Working in just a few minutes of meditation a day—even at your desk—can give your brain the mini-vacation from anxiety and tension it needs.
Stop Relying on (or Blaming) Your Genes
Having parents, grandparents, or other family members live into their nineties and beyond might suggest that you will too, but don’t rely too heavily on that family history. Family studies have demonstrated that only about 25% of the variation in human longevity is due to genetic factors.
This is good news for those of us without that exceptional ancestry. Environmental and lifestyle factors like diet, exercise, exposure to toxins, stress, regular medical tests, and even your social relationships play a role in how long you might live. Why focus on the genetics you can’t control when other factors can benefit from your attention?
By following a few basic principles, it's possible to extend your lifespan in ways that make your time more healthful and enjoyable. Predictable fixes like eating better, quitting smoking, being conscientious concerning your health, and working on getting better sleep are a few ways to make that happen. That said, it's important not to ignore the social and emotional side of the equation by staying connected to friends and family and letting go of stress and anger. Don't rely on your genes to do the heavy lifting and remember that small changes can lead to big payoffs for your longevity.
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