Little Known Ways to Live Longer and Healthier

We all want to live long and healthy lives, and know that diet and exercise are good ways to get there.

But there are other ways that supplement diet and exercise to produce longevity, things that not only increase your chances of a longer and healthier life, but improve your daily quality of life immensely.

Natural Remedies for a Longer Happier Life

Get Enough Sleep

Sleep decreases stress, increases energy and immunity, and it also increases life expectancy. The exact reason why is not completely known, but it’s important to note that getting enough sleep is not the same as getting too much, which can be as detrimental as not getting enough.

Sleep need is different depending on many factors including age, health and sleep debt. A sort of general number many scientists seem to agree upon is 7 hours, much more less or more than that can have an adverse effect on health and cut life expectancy. So make sure you are budgeting your time in a way where sleep plays an important role, which will have you feeling better and living longer in no time.

Keep Those Teeth Healthy

Flossing, a seemingly thankless task while you’re half asleep and fantasizing about your first cup of coffee, can actually add years to your life. Aside from keeping your gums healthy and reaching those hard to reach places, flossing actually prevents heart disease. Flossing stops gum inflammation, which in turn prevents a chronic bacterial infection that can harm your arteries, which will eventually harm your heart. Many people are unaware of this surprising health benefit for this daily chore. Flossing, though a somewhat annoying habit, is incredibly beneficial.

Maintain Meaningful Relationships

Keeping the body healthy is obviously a good way to extend your life, but having a life filled with people you care about and who care about you can be just as important. Humans are social animals, and we thrive off interactions and affection from the people around us. Being social and feeling loved will naturally stave off depression and help with mental health, but it also helps in prevention of diseases and other ailments. Inversely, loneliness can elevate sickness and disease. It is in our very natures to seek out the company of others, and it improves quality and length of life vastly.

Pets are also excellent sources of companionship and friendship, and it has been shown owning a pet can improve cardiovascular health.

Be Ritualistic

People living in areas of the world where life expectancy is the highest have several things in common, including having rituals. A ritual doesn’t necessarily mean a religious ceremony, such as attending church. It can be anything that you make a habit of that gives you meaning and belief in your life, feeding your inner spirituality. Again, this spirituality can include religion but doesn’t have to. It could be you and your sister practicing yoga in the woods every Saturday morning, or taking that evening hike after work to create calm and a focus on something that lets you center yourself.

If health and a long life are important to you, it’s essential to realize there is more to it than the extremely beneficial diet and exercise. Incorporating these three little known life-extending tips will improve your shot at being an octogenarian while making everyday better.

References:

http://longevity.about.com/od/liveto100/ss/life-expectancy_4.htm

http://www.sleepfoundation.org/article/how-sleep-works/how-much-sleep-do-we-really-need

http://digitaljournal.com/article/324919

http://voices.yahoo.com/how-live-longer-healthier-create-own-blue-6573836.html

Nancy Green is an RN and guest author at http://accelerated-nursing.org/nursing-programs/, a site with information and guides to the top-rated accelerated nursing degree programs.