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Envious of all those toned middle-aged celebrities, like Davina McCall and Jo Whiley, with their flat stomachs, precise eating and curated wellness regimes? Good for them, but in the real world, finding time to fit in multiple weekly workouts or cook from scratch every day can be difficult. That’s why the latest science on how to live a longer, healthier life makes for happy reading.
From going to bed ten minutes earlier to swapping out your bacon sandwich for a turkey wrap, experts say these and other small changes to your daily routine can make a big difference.
And as for exercises, there’s no need for an intense regimen to increase your chances of a longer, healthier existence. The research found that just 140 minutes per week of moderate aerobic activity (a brisk 20-minute daily walk, for example) reduced women’s risk of death by 18 percent. And women who did just one strength training session per week reduced their risk of death by 14 percent or more.
Presenter Davina McCall previously spoke about her love of fitness to stay fit.
If it takes so little effort to stay alive and kicking, why stop there? There are many quick and agile ways to increase longevity. Quitting smoking is an easy victory: the charity Action on Smoking and Health cites a study that concludes that quitting smoking at age 30, 40, 50 or 60 increases life expectancy by ten, nine, six or three years, respectively.
But this is almost too obvious. Make these six easy and surprising changes that will help you live longer and better…
Go to bed ten minutes early
Research published in August this year showed that people who slept more than an extra hour on Saturdays and Sundays were 19 percent less likely to develop heart disease than those who did not sleep in.
The study, which analyzed data from more than 90,000 UK adults over almost 14 years, also found that people who woke up early on weekends (slept even less than on weekdays) were the most likely to develop heart disease. It also revealed that the health benefits of lying down were greatest in those who were sleep deprived, defined as less than seven hours of sleep per night on average.
Meanwhile, other studies suggest that people who consistently sleep five hours or less per night have a higher risk of dying from all causes (15 percent higher, according to one large study).
So why wait until the weekend to increase your sleep level? Dr. Guy Meadows, sleep specialist and founder of The Sleep School, says, “Sleep is the most powerful health behavior known to humanity.”
“Sleep is the most important foundational behavior for our long-term health,” says Dr. Guy Meadows. “So any extra sleep you get will have a profound impact.”
“Since sleep is the most important foundational behavior for our long-term health, any extra sleep you get (which could be as little as an extra ten minutes a day) will have a profound impact on everything from your blood pressure to health of your heart, your risk of diabetes and your risk of poorer mental health.’
Some of us, he adds, could improve our rest by simply revising unhelpful nighttime habits, like watching Netflix or browsing social media: “Whatever you’re doing is preventing you from getting the sleep you need.”
For others, sleep-related anxiety keeps them awake. This can be addressed through a new behavioral therapy called Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). For more expert guidance, try the scientific app Sleep School: Insomnia Help, or Sleepio, an evidence-based sleep improvement app co-founded by sleep scientist Professor Colin Espie.
Tell yourself: “I am older and wiser”
Yes, you may think you’re young, as studies reveal that a positive attitude can add almost eight years to your life by slowing the pace of biological aging.
“Positive thinking can add years to your life,” says Dr Lucy Pollock, consultant geriatrician and author of The Golden Rule – Lessons In Living From A Doctor Of Ageing. “Having a positive attitude toward aging can add about seven and a half years to your life.”
It slows the rate of biological aging by reducing stress, which increases cortisol, blood pressure and causes heart disease.
Dr. Pollock adds that studies by Rose Anne Kenny, professor of medical gerontology at Trinity College Dublin, “demonstrate that if you think ‘as I get older I become wiser’ or ‘I have weathered storms’ or ‘I have learned from ‘Experience’ or ‘I can improve my strength’: You improve your physical aging.’
Put turkey on your sandwich instead of bacon
Kicking that bacon sandwich addiction can save your life. A report published in the American journal Nature Food states that sustained changes from unhealthy to healthy dietary patterns are associated with an increase of 10.8 and 10.4 years in life expectancy in men and women aged 40, respectively.
“A significant change to make is to switch from processed meat (bacon, ham, sausage, pastrami, salami) to a lean meat like turkey,” says Dr. Federica Amati, author of Every Body Should Know This: The Science Of Eating For A Lifetime. Of Health and chief nutritionist at science and nutrition company Zoe. “Or have fried mushrooms on toast,” he suggests.
‘The World Health Organization classifies processed meat as a class 1 human carcinogen. Reduce these from your diet and you will automatically reduce your risk of cancer and therefore shortening your life expectancy.’
Get up from your chair hands-free
Strength training is imperative for healthy longevity, says elite personal trainer Matt Roberts, founder of Evolution Healthspan Clubs. “A Harvard Medical School study showed that strength training was associated with a 46 percent reduction in all-cause mortality,” he says.
In particular, a 2014 trial found that people aged 51 to 80 who could get up from sitting on the floor without using their hands were less likely to die within six years. Because? The researchers found that musculoskeletal fitness was a significant predictor of mortality in this age group. So, another option… squats! Matt suggests one or two sets daily (either simple squats, weighted squats, or single-leg squats). Or try sitting in a chair, using the strength of one leg, and getting back up. And don’t use your hands for leverage.
Jog up the stairs
A review of 13 studies, published in The Journal of Aging Research, suggests that “regular physical activity is associated with an increase in life expectancy of 0.4 to 6.9 years.”
If you are inactive, don’t be discouraged. “There’s no such thing as too little exercise,” says Dr. Pollock. ‘What makes the biggest difference is that people who do less do a little more. It’s just going up and down stairs a little more, or getting up a little more while watching TV.’
Eat five more grams of fiber (that’s just half an avocado!)
Did you know that 95 per cent of the UK population are deficient in fiber and the recommended daily allowance is 30g? Experts say that even if your intake is 15g a day, you will see a significant reduction in health risks if you consume an additional 5g of fiber.
“Evidence shows that if you increase your fiber intake by five grams a day, you can reduce your risk of dying by 14 percent,” says Dr. Amati. ‘This is because fiber is important for the health of the gut microbiome, which affects inflammation and immune system function and helps reduce the risk of heart disease.
“This is exactly the science I used to design Zoe’s Daily30+: a plant-based whole food supplement that contains 5g of fiber per serving,” says Dr. Amati.
But he adds that there are other options. Sprinkling two teaspoons of mixed seeds over your yogurt or oatmeal or eating half an avocado along with your scrambled eggs would also add five grams of fiber to your daily intake. The more we can add, the better!