The difference between aging gracefully and aging, well, less than gracefully comes down to daily habits. Here are 30 concrete ways you can safeguard your energy and happiness while you age.
Keep Up With Your Dental Care
The dentist isn’t anyone’s favorite place to be, but keeping up with those yearly checkups could pay off big in the long run. Not only will you increase the likelihood of keeping those chompers, but regular cleanings can prevent larger health issues like gum disease.
Drink in Moderation
No matter how good that third drink might sound in the moment, it’s just never a great idea. Not only will cutting back on the sauce help your mindset and anxiety levels in the short term, but less alcohol also means less risk of big health issues like liver disease and cancer.
Give Back to Others
Yes, we need to support our communities for altruistic reasons. But did you know that charitable giving can immediately have an effect on your physical and mental well-being? Studies have shown that doing good for others boosts self-esteem and lowers blood pressure.
Laugh More
We’ve all heard laughter is the best medicine, but that’s more than just a cute expression. Studies have shown that laughter brings down blood pressure, reduces stress and the risk of heart disease, and boosts the immune system!
Love More
Connecting with loved ones in emotional and physical ways can give us a serious boost of vitality. In fact, strong partnerships are associated with a lower risk of disease and a longer lifespan. Plus, it just makes the world a better place. Win-win, right?
Control Your Stress Levels
I know I know… easier said than done, right? Well, it’s important to try. Studies show that chronic stress ages you down to a cellular level. It’s also associated with suppressed immune systems and several diseases. Take a walk, meditate, phone a friend, or write out your feelings. It will have an immediate effect on you.
Look at the Bright Side of Life
People who consider themselves happy live longer, according to at least one study. Sound like a high bar? You get to decide how happy you are on any given day. Positive emotions can affect a person’s physical health in a number of ways, from lowering blood pressure to increasing overall energy and vitality.
Find Work You Love
Stop thinking about the corporate ladder or your friends’ and peers’ retirement accounts for a minute. Do you enjoy what you do? Because that’s a pretty important factor in your health and longevity. For some people, a retail job where they interact with real people will keep them feeling young far longer than a desk job staring at spreadsheets all day.
Let Food Be Your Medicine
Statistically, if you’re the type of person to whip up home remedies in your kitchen rather than running to the drug store for every little sniffle, you’re generally in better health. Whether the actual remedies are the magic ingredient or it’s the proactive mindset in general, we’re not sure. But a cup of chamomile with honey can’t hurt.
Count Your Blessings
A gratitude practice can do wonders for your mental wellbeing, but can also lower blood pressure and boost your immune system. Next time you’re in a funk, write down five things you’re thankful for. These can be as profound as “the love of my life” or as mundane as “my beautiful blue notebook.” I promise, focusing on what you already have can snap you out of a mood quicker than anything else.
Wear Sunscreen
Your daily dose of sunshine is invaluable, but so is protecting your largest organ — your skin. Stick to SPF 30+, and be sure to apply every two hours or so. Not only will this lessen your risk of melanoma and other skin cancers, but I think we can all agree that it will keep you looking more youthful than if you let yourself cook for hours on the regular.
Keep Up With a Skincare Routine
There’s more to skincare than just SPF, though. Whether you have a 17-step skincare regime or a simple practice of cleansing and moisturizing before you go to bed, consistency is the key. Baby your skin and it’ll do a better job of protecting you.
Control Your Own Destiny
Nothing sucks the life out of you like the feeling of being trapped in an existence with no agency. And that applies to your health as well. Knowing that about 80 percent of illnesses are lifestyle based — or in other words, preventable — can keep you motivated to make the best choices for your vitality and longevity.
Embrace Natural Beauty
Cosmetics are fun, but more isn’t always better. Sometimes a freshly cleansed and moisturized face with minimal makeup can make you look younger than a full face of foundation and powder. Focus on glowing skin, and skip the cakey stuff that likes to settle into fine lines and wrinkles.
Keep Your Hormones Balanced
Natural remedies are wonderful, and there are lots of amazing products out there, but don’t be afraid to seek medical attention if you’re feeling less than yourself. Lots of perimenopausal and menopausal women get their energy, vitality, and libido back through hormonal therapy.
Don’t Avoid the Doctor
Don’t just go to the doctor when you feel ill. Maintaining regular checkups and preventative screenings can stop small, manageable issues from becoming life-altering diagnoses.
Take Care of That Ticker
Heart health is so, so important. And the best way to track it is by keeping your blood pressure in check. High blood pressure in middle age can cause major issues as we get older.
Connect With Others
Reading, brain teasers, and crossword puzzles can have a wonderful effect on cognitive abilities as we age. But real, human connection is what really keeps us young. In fact, according to a 2010 study, people without relationships in their lives have a 50% greater chance of dying prematurely.
Play Video Games
Yes, I’m serious. Playing video games can improve hand-eye coordination, and also improve attention spans, believe it or not. Plus it might give you a chance to connect with younger peers or family, which will keep you feeling young.
Eat Mostly Plants
We all hear the anecdotal evidence of people living into their late 90s on a diet of bacon, black coffee, and cigarettes — but they’re the exception, not the rule. A mostly plant-based diet can help ward off obesity, high blood pressure, heart disease, and cognitive decline.
Move Your Body
Daily walking can help with weight management, stress management, and cardiac health — all three of which are linked to longevity. Besides, getting outside in the fresh air only sounds like a chore until you’re actually doing it.
Turn Off the TV
This one might hurt a little. An Australian study found that people who watch TV for five-six hours a day actually shorten their lifespan by nearly five years. Sometimes we all need an escape, but why not listen to an audiobook or a podcast while taking a walk or doing a project around the house?
Don’t Smoke
There’s nothing I can say here that you haven’t heard a million times already. Well, probably not, anyway. Did you know that by some accounts, every cigarette you smoke can shorten your life span by 11 minutes?
Always Be Learning
Choosing to be a student of life means you’ll keep your cognitive function in tip top shape, but also that you’re likely to be a kinder, more open-minded individual. And boy, do we need more of you in the world.
Get Your Beauty Sleep
Insomnia can lead to some pretty insidious chronic health conditions, like obesity, high blood pressure, and heart disease. If you have a hard time falling, and staying, asleep, speak to your health care practitioner about a sleep study.
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Go On Adventures
Mark Twain once famously said, “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts.” But more than that, recent studies have shown that travel can actually combat premature aging.
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Don’t Give Up Your Hobbies
Our culture doesn’t give much credence to hobbies unless they’re a side hustle or income-producing activity. But that’s kind of beside the point. Do what makes you happy because it makes you happy! Also, it’s never too late to pick up a new one.
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Nurture a Childlike Sense of Wonder
It’s so easy to get beat down and start looking at life with lowered expectations. Do what you can to nurture your inner child. What if you gave someone the benefit of the doubt? What if you did something today you’ve never done before? What if you played dress up in your own closet and then took yourself on a playdate? The world is your oyster.
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Embrace the Journey
According to a recent study, people who view aging with a positive attitude have been shown to live about seven-and-a-half years longer than the Negative Nellies out there. That’s all the proof I need. How about you?
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