Life expectency today in the U.S. is roughly 80 years for women and 75 for men. Only 100 years ago the life expectancy was 48 years for women and 46 for men. Improvements in nutritional intake, health care and disease prevention have contributed to longetivity, however, recent research suggests that certain habits and traits also aid with quality aging.
1. Eat right
A study by the British of 20,000 participants who ate 5 servings of veggies and fruits a day, not smoking and drinking moderate amount of alcohol was associated with 14 extra years of life.
2. Get fresh air
A reduction in air pollution was estimated to have increased the lifespan of city dwellers by 5-10 months according to the New England Journal of Medicine.
3. Make friends
A 10-year study in Australia found that people with large social networks were 22% less likely to die over the following decade than those who reported having fewer friends.
4. Watch your waist
The National Institute of Health found that waist circumference was a strong predictor of mortality. Measurements that were greated than 44 inches for men and 41 inches for women were associated with 25% higher mortality rates.
5. Good nights sleep
A 2002 study based on the self reported sleep habits of over 1 million people showed that approximatley 7 hours was optimal. Those who reported more than 8 hours or less than 5 hours had shorter lifespans on average.
There's a lot of debate about the upper limits of the human lifespan as can be seen through all the anti-aging remedies available. However, some simple changes in habits may increase your lifespan as well as your quality of life.
