A ground-breaking study has successfully identified eight key habits that have the potential to extend your life by more than 20 years.
These crucial factors, pinpointed by researchers, exert the most significant impact on lifespan
Being physically active
Abstaining from smoking
Effectively managing stress
Maintaining a healthy diet
Avoiding regular binge drinking
Steering clear of opioid addiction
Ensuring restful sleep
Nurturing positive social relationships
To reach these findings, data from the Veterans Affairs Million Veteran Programme was analysed, involving a vast pool of over 700,000 American participants. The results revealed that men who wholeheartedly adopt all eight of these habits at the age of 40 could remarkably increase their life expectancy by a massive 24 years compared to their counterparts who do not embrace these practices.
Similarly, women adhering to these habits could add an extra 21 years to their lives.
The study again highlights the profound impact of lifestyle choices on longevity of life, with low physical activity, opioid use, and smoking standing out as the most significant factors linked to a 30-45% higher risk of death. Furthermore, stress, binge drinking, poor diet, and inadequate sleep each contribute to about a 20% increase in the risk of mortality.
It is worth noting that even starting these lifestyle changes later in life, be it in the 40s, 50s, or 60s, can still prove beneficial in enhancing overall lifespan and reducing the risk of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease, which can lead to premature disability and death.
If you take time to look at your weekly/monthly habits you may think that some of these habits only occasionally come into your life but when they are repeated, daily/weekly/monthly they will have an impact as you age. You do not want to be in the position of knowing the potential impact but not acting on it, thinking it won’t happen to you. Over 25 years dealing with clients has shown me that, therefore, look to make some sensible lifestyle decisions now.
This latest study highlights the critical role of lifestyle factors in shaping our health and longevity.
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