Living a long and healthy life is a popular goal, but it is not easy to achieve. It is common to develop symptoms such as: dementia and chronic painin addition to mobility issues, cardiovascular problemsas you get older.
While certain uncontrollable factors (such as genetics) play a large role in many of these problems, daily habits can also contribute to a less-than-ideal aging process. And some of the habits you probably do daily or weekly are actually getting in the way of healthy aging and longevity.
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According to doctors, they are:
1. Skip preventive care.
According to Dr. Heather Whitsondirector of Duke Aging Center In North Carolina, not staying up to date on preventive care like mammograms, colonoscopies, and vaccines is bad for your long-term health.
“It’s like not taking your car into the shop,” Whitson said. “If you don’t perform regular maintenance, you won’t have a long lifespan.”
Talk to your doctor about what preventative testing is right for you.
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2. Not nurturing social relationships.
“We know that socialization benefits the brain and longevity.” Dr. Lee Lindquistchief of geriatrics at Northwestern Medicine in Chicago. The more time you spend interacting with other people, the more you can benefit your life.
“I always joke that…we need to socialize with happy people, because there are always going to be toxic people in our lives,” she said. What Toxic People Can Bring anxiety And sadness, it doesn’t help you age well.
“If you can socialize more with people who bring you joy and bring you happiness, that will definitely help you age healthily and live longer,” Lindquist said.
meanwhile, COVID-19 (new coronavirus infection) She pointed out that when the pandemic forced us all indoors, many people suffered from cognitive impairment due to isolation. “So we know that social isolation has a negative impact on aging and has a negative impact on longevity processes.”
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“Some of my favorite patients who are in their 90s and 100s actually wake up every day and try to find new people to talk to,” she added. Lindquist points out that it’s normal to have fewer friendships as you get older, so if you want to age well, it’s important to keep going out and meeting new people.
3. Do not adjust medications according to age.
“We see over and over again that people start taking medications in their 40s or 50s and may not need them by the time they’re in their 70s or 80s,” Lindquist says. “And some of these drugs are not ideal for older adults.”
Certain medications can make people more prone to falls or cause thought disorders, she added. Some anti-anxiety drugs can cause memory loss. According to AARPsome prescription sleeping pills are known to increase the risk of falls. According to Harvard Health Publishing.
“So be sure to talk to your doctor about whether you still need these medications,” Lindquist says.
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4. Not exercising.
This is perhaps not surprising, but it cannot be said enough. Lack of exercise has a negative effect on your lifespan.
“Exercise is great. If we could put exercise in pill form, a lot of health care providers would go out of business because it’s really good for your mood, it’s good for weight management, it’s good for your bones, it’s good for your heart, it’s good for your brain,” Whitson said. “And it’s the only thing we can recommend that will give you good overall benefits.”
“Exercise is very important, and not exercising or not doing enough daily activities definitely has a negative impact on longevity,” Lindquist says.
When asked how much exercise he recommends people exercise, Lindquist simply answered, “More.”
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“If you get so comfortable that you do the same activity three times a week, once a week, or not at all, it’s just going to really hurt your body,” she said.
If you walk every day, try adding a Zumba class a few times a week. If you’re an avid Peloton fan, sign up for personal training classes as well.
“Even if you ask your doctor for physical therapy and start moving around more, that’s really important,” Lindquist says.
If you’re looking for an initial benchmark, you should aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise each week. To the American Heart Association. And again, the longer the time, the more health benefits you’ll get.
5. Smoking.
Cigarette smoking is associated Lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart disease, stroke, etc. However, it is very addictive and difficult to quit.
According to american lung associationit may be helpful to focus on your reasons for quitting, and you can use that as motivation to get through the difficult parts of the process. Your doctor can also provide resources to help you quit smoking.
Maintaining a social life has been proven to have longevity benefits. Klaus Wedfeldt (via Getty Images)
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6. Eating unhealthy food.
Prioritizing a healthy diet is another way to increase your chances of living a long, healthy lifespan, Whitson says.
Whitson suggested that “a Mediterranean-style diet that focuses on fish, whole fruits, vegetables, and grains, with only occasional processed foods is probably best for most people.”
It’s never too late to change your diet. But it may be easier when you’re young.
“It’s very difficult to change your diet when you’re in your 70s, 80s, and 90s, so the earlier you can start eating, the easier it will be and the more likely it will have a better long-term impact,” Lindquist explained.
7. Not getting enough sleep.
“There is growing evidence that sleep deprivation has long-term effects,” Whitson says. These include: higher risk dementia and heart diseasein addition to Higher levels of daily stress And I feel sick overall.
It’s normal to experience age-related changes that affect your sleep, so there’s no need to worry at all if your sleep patterns change as you get older. However, if certain conditions, such as obstructive sleep apnea, are left untreated, you risk developing these negative outcomes.
“If you…feel extremely sleepy during the day, or your partner says they snore or have apnea. [where you stop breathing] “I wake up in the middle of the night,” Whitson said, so it’s important to let your doctor know.
What adults need 7-9 hours of sleep each night. If you’re having trouble getting enough sleep, we recommend reducing your intake of caffeine and alcohol, and trying to sleep and wake up at the same time each day.
8. Unable to manage stress.
“It’s really hard not to feel stressed about work, family, or anything else that makes you feel stressed, but keep in mind that we humans have a very physical stress response to things that aren’t a physical threat to us,” Whitson said.
In many animals, stress responses begin under emergency situations, such as when being chased by a predator or searching for water. Generally, stress is relieved when needs are met.
“We humans can feel stressed about things that don’t pose a physical threat, but when that stress response is turned on and chronically activated, all sorts of things happen,” Whitson said. “It reduces the immune system’s ability to fight off real pathogens and things that are our real stressors.”
Stress also has negative effects on metabolism, sleep, blood pressure, and more. It’s important to do what you can to reduce stress, such as consulting a mental health professional (if possible) and eliminating things in your life that are causing problems.
9. Not planning for your future health.
“We talk a lot about end-of-life planning: What are you going to do? Do I need CPR? Do I need an advanced care plan? Who is my power of attorney? Where is my will?” Lindquist said. “But often people don’t think about, ‘What am I going to do in the next 10 or 20 years before I die?'”
Lindquist calls this period the “fourth quarter of life.” Because this is the time when health problems increase. He added that people in their 70s, 80s and 90s are more likely to require hospitalization and deal with worsening memory loss.
In addition to deciding who gets the lake house, golf clubs and engagement ring, you should also start thinking about plans for the last 10 to 20 years of your life, Lindquist explained. Are you planning to live with your family? Can you provide home care? Moving to a senior community? Do you live near a hospital?
“These are conversations people should be having, especially when thinking about longevity and longevity,” she noted.
Having these conversations with your loved ones can help ensure that your voice is heard and that there are no unchecked expectations as you get older. To help adults plan for every aspect of their future, Lindquist and her team plan your lifespana free website funded by the National Institutes of Health.
10. Not planning for your financial future.
“It’s great that people’s goal is to extend their active and healthy lives… [but] “One of the saddest things I see as a geriatrician is that people are now outliving their savings more often than not,” Whitson said.
Many of Whitson’s patients, who are in their 90s, tell her they never expected to live this long or have to support themselves for another 30 years after retirement. “It happens, and it’s real,” she said.
“What worries me is that there are people out there who are expecting to retire at 65 when they’re middle-aged, but they don’t really take into account the fact that if they live 30 years of good health after that, they should have a good idea where their money is coming from,” Whitson said.
“I think a lot of people imagine traveling and living well in retirement because they’re making good health choices and staying very healthy, which is great,” she said. “But thinking about the financial flow for that chapter of life is also important in midlife.”
So as you focus on your physical and mental health as you age, it’s important to remember that your future financial health also plays an important role.
The original version of this story was previously published on HuffPost.