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5 Tips for Living a Long and Healthy Life

Everyone is trying to become the best version of themselves but often feels confused about what to do to achieve this. With the 5 science-backed tips below, you can be assured that you’re making every effort to take care of your health. Some of these tips you may have heard before, while others might surprise you.

Tip 1: Stay Hydrated
It is estimated that about 75% of Americans suffer from chronic dehydration, so it might be time to reassess your personal water intake.

According to a study from Harvard University, experts recommend that individuals drink between 11 to 16 cups of water daily.

Staying adequately hydrated is important for many reasons. It helps keep your joints lubricated, delivers essential nutrients to cells throughout the body, allows organs to function properly, prevents infections, and helps regulate body temperature. Water can also improve sleep quality, cognitive function, and mood.

Tip 2: Eat a Balanced Diet with Diverse Nutrients
In the field of nutrition, people should take a personalized approach. A simple blood test can reveal your current basic nutrient levels and what changes you need to make.

The average American diet is lacking in several essential nutrients, including calcium, potassium, magnesium, and vitamins A, C, and D.

Take vitamin D as an example. Vitamin D may be considered one of the most important nutrients for health. According to a 2011 study, about a billion people worldwide and 41.6% of Americans are vitamin D deficient. If you lack vitamin D, you may also miss out on its benefits. Vitamin D helps your body fight off diseases, lowers the risk of conditions like multiple sclerosis, heart disease, and the likelihood of developing the flu. It has also been found to influence mood regulation and can improve symptoms of depression.

This is just one example of a nutrient in the body. Many other nutrients can affect how your body functions. You can incorporate these nutrients into your diet by eating nutrient-dense foods or using supplements found at the pharmacy. Before deciding to take any supplements or make significant changes, consult with your doctor.

Tip 3: Improve Sleep Quality for a Longer, Healthier Life
According to the CDC, one in three adults doesn’t get enough sleep. The CDC recommends that individuals sleep 7-9 hours each night.

Chronic sleep deprivation can lead to serious health changes. Lack of sleep contributes to many health issues, including obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and mental stress.

We’ve all had bad nights of sleep, and you likely remember the uncomfortable feeling and difficulty functioning throughout the day compared to a good night’s sleep. The cumulative effect of long nights and lost sleep hours is called sleep debt, a term frequently mentioned by neuroscientist Matthew Walker.

Once sleep debt accumulates, it is difficult to recover. Each hour of lost sleep may take up to four days to fully recover. When you experience poor sleep night after night, your sleep debt continues to accumulate and can spiral out of control.

Dr. Walker believes this condition can shorten your lifespan.

The best way to prepare for a good night’s sleep is to avoid screens two hours before bedtime and develop a routine that helps you relax. Disconnecting from your daily activities is crucial for high-quality sleep. Feel free to experiment and find what works best for you before bedtime.

Tip 4: Exercise and Stay Physically Active
First, let’s discuss cardiovascular exercise. Many people mistakenly think cardio is limited to activities like running and cycling.

In fact, nearly any type of movement can be classified as cardio. This means activities like walking, playing sports, dancing, and even jumping on a trampoline count as cardio.

These activities all share the commonality of getting your body to absorb more oxygen to sustain energy levels, thereby increasing your heart rate along with various other reactions in your body. Elevating your heart rate is crucial for improving cardiovascular health and overall wellness.

According to the CDC, one in four deaths is due to heart disease. Therefore, maintaining heart health should be a top priority for everyone. Moreover, it can improve your memory, protect your brain from age-related decline, and stimulate the release of endorphins in your body. Endorphins are natural hormones produced in your nervous system. They are often called happiness hormones because they are known to make people feel happier. They naturally boost your mood and are responsible for the “runner’s high” phenomenon.

Next, we have resistance training. It’s not just about building strength and looking fit or muscular. A study by Wayne L. Wescott shows it can help prevent and manage certain diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, by reducing visceral fat and improving insulin sensitivity. It also provides many similar benefits to cardio. His research suggests it can increase bone density and help reduce pain related to back issues, arthritis, and fibromyalgia. Furthermore, it can reverse other musculoskeletal issues related to aging.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends that you engage in at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity each week to maintain health.

Tip 5: The Importance of Personal Relationships
A review of 148 studies on social interaction found that individuals with strong and developed social relationships have a 50% lower risk of premature death.

Interestingly, it has also been found that those committed to a partner may live three years longer than those without one.

When you have people in your life you can discuss issues with, you don’t have to bear stress alone. Science shows that just thinking about the people you care about after experiencing a stressful event or task can lead to faster recovery from stress symptoms. This helps keep stress levels lower over time and reduces its long-term impact on your health. Conversely, feelings of loneliness are often a predictor of poor health. Over time, feelings of loneliness are often linked to depression and are now reported to affect pain tolerance and immune system function.

There are many different factors that define what a healthy life looks like for you. The tips in this list and the research scientists have conducted on these topics are just a few of the most popular health options available today. Experiment and choose what works best and most effectively for you.

This information was summarized from the video5 Tips for Living a Long and Healthy Life” on the Facts channel.

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