2023-07-29 12:08:00
Longevity: It is important to take care of your health, both physical and mental, especially as you age. On a daily basis, there are small actions that everyone can do to stay in shape and live longer. For example, eating more vegetables and fruits, exercising regularly, or taking dietary supplements to help your body. In an interview with the American magazine Fortune, experts shared tips for staying in shape, physically and mentally, throughout your life.
Longevity: 4 tips to stay healthy over the years
Exercise to stay in shape
Exercising is important for maintaining good health and avoiding injury. According to Kirk Erickson, director of neuroscience at AdventHealth Central Florida Hospital, physical exercise is one of the best ways to keep the brain healthy throughout life.
He explains that exercise helps maintain the hippocampus, a part of the brain that plays an important role in memory. Physical activity can help maintain the size of the hippocampus, and even increase it in some cases. To reap these benefits, Kirk Erickson recommends walking or other moderate exercise for 30 minutes, 5 days a week. The earlier you start, the more beneficial effects you will see.
Gary Small, chair of the department of psychiatry at Hackensack Meridian Health, also advises regular strength training to prevent age-related muscle loss and improve life expectancy. Balance exercises can also help prevent falls. In France, around 450,000 people over the age of 65 suffer a fall each year, according to the National Public Health Agency.
Improve your mental health
It is important to take care of your mental health as well as your physical health (longevity). A recent Australian study showed that certain leisure activities can reduce the risk of dementia in older people by 9-11%. Among these activities are popular games such as board games, card games, chess, crosswords and puzzles. Dr. Gary Small recommends doing these activities regularly to keep the brain fit and improve mental acuity. To maintain good mental health, it is also important to manage stress. Dr. Small recommends meditating 10 minutes a day to improve mood and cognition.
How to sleep better
It is increasingly difficult to fall asleep and get a good night’s sleep as we get older. However, poor sleep hygiene can have negative consequences on our health (longevity). According to Jamie Zeitzer, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, our bodies cause us to fall asleep late and wake up early as we age because we are programmed to stay awake 16 hours and sleep 8 hours. However, an elderly person’s abilities decrease, so they have to make an extra effort to sleep well.
Also, we become more sensitive to noises and temperatures as we age, which can disrupt our sleep. Certain life stages, such as retirement, can also disrupt our sleep patterns. The fact of no longer having morning obligations can break the rhythm and disrupt our sleep hygiene. Therefore, Jamie Zeitzer recommends taking a nap a day to improve our nighttime sleep.
Maintain social relationships
Being alone can be bad for mental and physical health. A study in the United States showed that loneliness can age you two years faster than smoking. Another US study found that social isolation can also negatively affect bone quality.
According to Dor Skuler, manager of a company that uses artificial intelligence to help seniors deal with loneliness, big life changes are often the cause of loneliness. This can include the death of a spouse, retirement, children moving away from home, or the dementia of a partner. It is therefore important to maintain friendly and family relationships. Volunteering may also help protect the brain once morest cognitive decline and dementia, according to a US study.
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