9 habits for a longer and happier life

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Living life to the fullest starts with taking care of your body and mind.

“The long-term effects of good and bad health habits are cumulative. Put simply, you cannot run away from your past,” said Dr. William Roberts, a professor in the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health at the University of Minnesota via email.

Getting enough physical activity and seeing your doctor regularly is a good place to start, said CNN medical analyst Dr. Leana Wen.

“There’s a lot of evidence of what we can do proactively to improve our longevity and quality,” said Wen, an emergency physician and visiting professor of health policy and management at George Washington University’s Milken Institute School of Public Health.

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Here are some habits worth implementing to give yourself the best chance at a longer, happier life.

1. Regular demonstrations

Young people tend to have fewer chronic diseases than older people, but prevention is key, Wen said. “For example, if you test positive for prediabetes, there are steps you can take to prevent progression to diabetes.”

The annual checkups also allow you and your doctor to get to know each other, she added. “The best time to see your doctor isn’t when you already have symptoms and need help — it’s regularly to build and establish that relationship so your doctor can get a baseline of your health.”

2. Consistent physical activity

Getting enough physical activity can lower your risk of chronic conditions like diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke, Wen said.

“There is an overwhelming body of research supporting regular aerobic exercise not only to live longer, but to maintain cognitive function longer,” said Dr. Nieca Goldberg, medical director of Atria New York City and clinical associate professor of medicine at New York University’s Grossman School of Medicine.

The World Health Organization has recommended that adults engage in at least 150 minutes (2 ½ hours) of moderate to vigorous physical activity per week, while pregnant women should engage in at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic and vigorous exercise per week.

3. A healthy BMI

Body mass index is a measure of body fat that assesses a person’s weight class and potential risk of health problems, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Maintaining a healthy BMI can extend your life by more than a decade, a 2018 study found, and has been linked to a lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease and cancer. Regular physical activity and a healthy diet can help you achieve this goal.

4. Proper nutrition

Eating more plant-based foods is a great source of antioxidants, Goldberg said. “Oxidation is a sign of stress in our system and can lead to changes in how plaque builds up in the arteries and things like that,” she said. “And this oxidation is also associated with aging.”

You could extend your life by eating less red and processed meat and more fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains and nuts, according to a study published in February in the journal PLOS Medicine. The potential benefits are especially powerful when you start young — women who start eating optimally in their 20s could add just over 10 years to lifespan, while men who start at the same age add 13 years could.

At mealtimes, at least half your plate should consist of fruits and vegetables, Goldberg said. Also important is “not just what’s on the food, but how you prepare it,” she added. “So baking and grilling is better than roasting.”

5. Pay attention to mental well-being

Mental health is often “such a neglected part of our overall health, but it actually makes a huge contribution to overall health and well-being,” Wen said.

The past few years have brought with them stress and anxiety, which can affect blood pressure, sleep, dietary habits, alcohol consumption or attempts to quit smoking, Goldberg said.

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Experts say just 15 minutes of a little mental health hygiene can make your life easier. When you wake up, try taking deep breaths, being present with your morning coffee instead of being distracted, going for a walk, journaling, and taking screen breaks.

The benefits of these mindfulness practices come from lowering levels of cortisol, the stress hormone linked to health complications. The ability to better regulate your emotions – which can be achieved through meditation – has been linked to health resilience in old age.

6. Lots of sleep

People who sleep less than seven hours a night tend to have higher levels of stress hormones, blood sugar and blood pressure, Goldberg said.

You can improve the quality and quantity of your sleep with regular exercise and good sleep hygiene. Keep your bedroom dark, quiet, and cool at night and only use it for sleeping and sex.

7. Drink less

“People have long associated alcohol with a healthier heart,” Goldberg said. But “heavy alcohol consumption can actually be direct poison to the heart muscle and lead to heart failure. It also increases (blood sugar) and causes weight gain.”

Avoiding too much alcohol can add at least several years to your life by lowering your risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer and other chronic diseases, according to a 2020 study.

8. No smoking

“Smoking is an important risk factor that increases the likelihood of several types of cancer — not just lung cancer, but things like breast cancer,” Wen said. It “also increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, and other conditions that shorten people’s lives.”

If you’re a habitual smoker, it’s not too late to quit to extend your life, Wen added.

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9. Build strong relationships

Experts have said that close, positive relationships add happiness and comfort to our lives and reduce stress. According to Harvard Health, studies have shown that people with healthy relationships with family, friends, and community have fewer health problems, live longer, and experience less depression and cognitive decline later in life.

If implementing all of those habits feels like a lot, think of it as a gradual build-up, Wen said. “We may not always be perfect at everything,” she said, “but[there are]things we can do to improve ourselves in one dimension or more, and we could commit to that kind of lifestyle improvement.”