This article looks at six 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.
What surprises some people is that the relationship is a U-shaped curve. This means that too little and too much sleep can affect your lifespan.
A good night’s sleep is important to recharge both the body and mind. It helps the body repair cells and get rid of wastes. It also is important in making memories, and sleep deprivation leads to forgetfulness.
Even if you intend to sleep well, health issues can disrupt your plan. Sleep apnea, for example, can greatly increase health risks.
Sleep apnea affects millions of people, but it’s believed that many cases are being missed. Part of the reason is that symptoms like snoring, or waking up gasping for air, don’t happen in every case. Sleep apnea can present with a number of surprising signs and symptoms, such as teeth grinding and depression.
If you have any concerns, talk to your healthcare provider about a sleep study. There are treatments, like CPAP, that lower risk and improve quality of life. Changes in your sleep patterns can signal other health issues too, so see your healthcare provider for a checkup if anything changes.
Taking steps toward a lifelong change in diet will help more than jumping on the latest fad diet does. You may have heard author Michael Pollan’s signature phrase: “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.” Of those plants, choose a rainbow of colors to make sure you get all the nutrients you need.
One place to begin is with the well-regarded Mediterranean diet. It’s rich in many of the healthiest foods and naturally limits less healthy choices. The more you follow the Mediterranean diet, the lower your risk of a host of diseases.
The Mediterranean diet has a lot of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, “good” oils, and plenty of herbs and spices. It doesn’t have highly processed foods, refined grains, or added sugar.
Best of all, physical activity is a low-cost way to boost your health and even save you money. Sometimes your health may limit your exercise options, but you can keep moving by washing your windows, mowing your lawn, sweeping a sidewalk, and other basic tasks.
Once you are past age 65, you may benefit by adding balance and flexibility exercises, but keep moving too. Whether you dance, garden, swim, or go biking, choose moderate-intensity exercise that you know you’ll enjoy.
A 2018 study looked at body mass index (BMI) and mortality over a period of 24 years. A BMI considered between 19 and 24 is considered “normal” or healthy. For those who were in the range classified as obesity, a BMI of 30 to 35 meant a 27% increase in mortality. A BMI of 35 to 40 was linked to a 93% increase.
Among those with a BMI in the overweight range (BMI 25 to 30), mortality was only higher among those who smoked. People with a BMI on the high side of normal (BMI 24, for example) had the lowest death risks.
There isn’t any real magic when it comes to keeping a healthy weight. Eating a nutritious diet and exercising daily are the true “secret” for most people. If you’re struggling, talk with your healthcare provider. But keep in mind that fad diets don’t work, and your greatest hope for success lies in making long-term changes.
The list of diseases and cancers linked to smoking is long. If you’re finding it hard to quit, and you think illness comes only later in life, it may help to think of more short-term goals. Perhaps it’s too expensive, or indoor smoking bans limit your social outings.
Or maybe the midlife concerns will help you! Smoking speeds up wrinkling of the skin. There’s also a link between smoking and erectile dysfunction in men. Quitting, or avoiding tobacco in the first place, will save lives but protect its quality too.
Red wine is rich in flavonoids, particularly the nutrient resveratrol. Resveratrol, however, is also found in red grapes themselves, in red grape juice, and even peanuts.
Moderate alcohol consumption (one drink per day for women, two for men) may lower heart disease risk. Yet a link between alcohol and breast cancer suggests that even this amount should be used with caution.
Women who have three drinks per week have a 15% higher risk of breast cancer and the risk goes up another 10% for every additional drink they have each day.
Higher levels of alcohol can lead to health and other problems, including a greater risk for:
StrokeHigh blood pressureHeart diseaseSome cancersAccidentsViolenceSuicide
Moderate intake of alcohol may be part of a healthy lifestyle in special moments, as long as you have no personal or family problems with alcohol abuse. As long as everyone understands the risks, there are times you may drink a toast to your good health!
Summary
For a long, healthy life, the six key lifestyle behaviors are getting enough sleep, eating a healthy diet, being physically active, maintaining a healthy body weight, not smoking, and limiting alcohol.
These factors may seem like a part of the common-sense advice you’ve heard many times, but there’s a reason for that. They’re all backed by data, and new medical research continues to point in the same healthy direction.
A Word From Verywell
We know that living well goes beyond good health, and mental, social, and spiritual health are equally important. Practicing stress management, developing a passion or hobby, and pampering yourself at times should be high on your to-do list.
Yet even when people are doing everything right, it’s not always possible to avoid physical illness or mental stress. Many health providers now believe that the ability to “roll with the punches” of life, or exhibit resilience, is a skill we should all cultivate if we wish to live our best life today.
Eat foods that are good sources of calcium and vitamin D. Get 30 minutes of exercise a day, especially weight-bearing and strength-building activities like walking, dancing, climbing stairs, and lifting weights. Avoid smoking. Prevent falls. Exercise may help you with improving your balance. Also, remember to check for tripping hazards in your home.
