Gaby
We live longer than our ancestors, but longevity can still feel like a roll of the dice. Your genes influence your risk for diseases such as heart disease, cancer, and dementia, but research suggests small changes in daily habits can add years to your life. Swapping in more legumes, flossing regularly, doing ten minutes of exercise, enjoying art, or just breathing fresh air in a park are simple actions that add up. The Daily Mail highlighted several straightforward steps backed by research that may help you live longer.
Eat More Vegetables
This may sound obvious, but a healthy, balanced diet is essential for staying slim and avoiding many diseases—and it could add years to your life. A 2022 study in PLOS Medicine found that increasing beans, peas, and lentils while cutting red meat could extend life expectancy by decades. The researchers estimated that choosing diets rich in lentils and beans at age 20 could increase life expectancy by more than ten years for an average woman and about thirteen years for an average man.
The study also linked a healthy diet with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease. In addition to legumes, the researchers found that whole grains and nuts, paired with reduced red and processed meat intake, contributed to those benefits.
Take Time to Appreciate Beauty
Regular visits to art galleries, museums, and theaters are associated with a longer life. A 2019 BMJ study found that the more people engaged with art, the lower their risk of premature death. Even spending a little time painting or listening to your favorite music can help.
University College London researchers reached that conclusion after tracking more than 6,000 English adults aged 50 and older. They recorded gallery visits, theater outings, and concerts from 2004 and followed participants for an average of 12 years. After accounting for economic, social, and health factors, they found that people who attended a theater or gallery once or twice a year had a 14 percent lower risk of dying early than those who never attended.
Spend Time Outdoors
Fresh air and time in nature are an easy way to add years to your life. Being outdoors reduces stress, boosts self-esteem, and improves mood. Walking outside also encourages activity, which benefits physical health. Researchers at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health have linked green spaces to longer life expectancy.
In a study of 100,000 women aged 53 to 81, scientists found that those living near green spaces had a 12 percent lower risk of premature death from all causes (excluding accidents) than women without access to such areas. The researchers concluded in a 2016 paper that green spaces support healthier, longer lives by increasing opportunities for physical activity, improving social engagement and mental health, and reducing exposure to hazards like pollution.
Enjoy a Cup of Your Favorite Beverage
Your morning drink might be more powerful than you think—choose wisely between green tea or coffee. A 2020 study in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology found that drinking green tea at least three times a week was linked to longer, healthier lives. Researchers analyzed health and habits of 100,902 participants in China who had no history of heart attacks, strokes, or cancer, and they found tea drinkers had better outcomes. Tea drinkers had a 20 percent lower risk of heart disease and stroke. So taking ten minutes for a cup of green tea could be good for your heart. Green tea is rich in polyphenols, which protect against cardiovascular disease and risk factors such as high blood pressure.
Good news for coffee fans, too. A study of nearly 450,000 Britons aged 40 to 69, published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, found that drinking any amount of coffee reduced the risk of early death. The strongest results were for people who drank two to three cups a day, with a 4%, 27%, and 11% lower likelihood of death for those drinking decaffeinated, ground, and instant coffee, respectively.
The study authors suggested that compounds in coffee beyond caffeine may protect health—chemicals that fight inflammation and boost metabolism. Other research has shown similar results: among 170,000 Britons aged 50 and older, those who drank two to four cups of coffee daily had nearly a one-third lower risk of death from various causes.
Connect with Friends
Spending time with friends, or even texting them, can extend your life and improve your health. Multiple studies show that social connections reduce stress and encourage physical activity, both of which have health benefits. Even a phone call to a loved one helps.
Researchers at West China Hospital of Sichuan University followed 28,563 Chinese adults and surveyed their communication habits in 2002, 2005, 2008, 2011, and 2014. Findings published in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health showed that older adults who communicated daily, weekly, or even monthly had a better chance of living longer than those who did not communicate at all. A 2013 study in Aging suggested that social isolation can age a person faster than smoking, and Harvard research has confirmed that positive friendships help preserve health and longevity.
Alcohol — in Moderation
Excessive alcohol harms the liver and heart, but total abstinence may not be the only healthy choice. A small amount of beer or wine in the evening can be beneficial for some people.
A 2012 Swedish study found that moderate alcohol consumption reduced the risk of rheumatoid arthritis. Women who drank fewer than four glasses of alcohol per week (about three and a half pints of beer or glasses of wine weekly) had a 37 percent lower risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis than women who drank less than one glass per week or not at all.
A 2022 Nature study of 430,016 adults suggested that moderate drinking might also slightly extend life. The researchers estimated that men who drink no more than one glass of wine a day could gain nearly a year of life expectancy compared with men who do not drink. The key was moderation: people who drank more than one glass a day could lose about seven years of life.
Avoid Stress
Happier people don’t just enjoy life more—they tend to live longer and healthier lives. Researchers at the University of Illinois reviewed more than 160 human and animal studies in Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being and found that a positive outlook and the absence of stress and depression contribute to longevity. Lab studies on humans also showed that a positive mood can lower stress hormones, strengthen immune function, and speed recovery from stress.
Stay Active
The benefits of regular exercise are well known, but busy schedules make fitness a challenge. The good news: small amounts of activity make a difference. Exercise helps maintain a healthy weight, strengthens bones and muscles, and reduces cardiovascular risk.
Research shows you don’t need hours at the gym to benefit. A 2022 JAMA study found that just ten minutes of moderate to vigorous activity a day can extend life. American researchers estimated that if adults aged 40 to 85 added ten minutes of such activity to their daily routine, it could prevent 110,000 deaths a year in the U.S. You don’t need to run—you can take a brisk ten-minute walk, mow the lawn, rollerblade, or dance.
Use Dental Floss When Brushing Your Teeth
You only get one set of adult teeth, and flossing can make a big difference. Floss removes plaque—the main cause of gum disease. Harvard Medical School researchers say preventing gum disease also protects the heart. Gum disease can trigger chronic inflammation as the body reacts to persistent plaque buildup on the teeth.
Chronic inflammation is a major contributor to atherosclerosis, a condition where fatty deposits build up in the arteries. A study of people over 80, published in the Journal of Aging, found that people who did not floss had a 30 percent higher risk of death and tended to die about nine years earlier on average. Scientists don’t yet know exactly how gum disease influences longevity—other factors like smoking or a poor diet might explain some of the connection. It’s also possible that people who floss regularly take better care of their health in other ways.
