This article looks at seven lifestyle factors that are backed by the best evidence when it comes to your health over the long run. It shows you why they matter and how to begin making positive changes.
Getting the right amount of sleep, and doing so regularly, is first on the list. It's often missed because people focus on diet and exercise, but the link between sleep and life expectancy is supported by research.
A healthy diet gives you energy and lowers your risk for heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and other diseases. Some of these conditions have proven links to food and nutrition, as is the case with red meat and colorectal cancer.
Thirty minutes a day of physical activity protects heart health. It also lowers the amount of bone loss as you age, and with it the risk of osteoporosis. It's so important that a 2021 study of colon cancer survivors found that living in a "green" community.
Obesity is associated with a shorter lifespan and a higher risk of many diseases. The good news is that just being somewhat overweight does not reduce your longevity. In fact, for those over age 65, it's better to be on the high side of normal than the low side.
Smoking accounts for some 480,000 deaths per year in the United States alone. Added to this are another 16 million people who are alive but coping with a smoking-related illness. If you want the chance to live well for however long you live, don't smoke or chew tobacco.