6 Daily Habits Doctors Say Will Help You Live Longer
All products featured on Self are independently selected by Self editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, Condé Nast may earn an affiliate commission.Ask practically any doctor about how to live longer, and they'll point you toward the textbook healthy habits: Cut back on sugary and salty processed foods in favor of whole, fresh ones; quit smoking; cool it on the alcohol; and get in some regular exercise. However unsexy such recommendations may be, it's these routine behaviors—not longevity fads like fancy biometric testing or IV drips of liquid supplements—that have the most evidence behind them for helping you eke out more years and ward off illness too.
Of course, the tricky part is putting big lifestyle changes into practice. It's hard to know where to start…and tempting to just throw up your hands if you don't have time to implement all of the things. But according to the experts, you don't actually need to overhaul your life. 'I've seen in my practice that little changes can make a real difference over time,' Jeffrey Boone, MD, a board-certified internist and founder and medical director of Boone Heart Institute, in Colorado, tells SELF. In fact, approaching all facets of your lifestyle with moderation may be the best tack. 'To get too obsessed with one thing or another, whether it's an extreme diet or excessive exercise routine, is not necessarily a marker of longevity,' Deborah M. Kado, a board-certified internist and co-director of the Stanford Longevity Center, tells SELF.
Read on to find the small, actually doable behaviors that can extend your lifespan, according to doctors who specialize in longevity—and the science that proves they work.
Exercise gets top billing in the realm of longevity-boosting habits—its claim to fame has long come from its heart-protective powers, but it's arguably the number-one thing you can do to safeguard your brain too. Yes, it's great to abide by the general US guidelines: at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobics per week, as well as strength training on at least a couple days a week. But even much smaller chunks could meaningfully add to your lifespan. Research has shown that 15 minutes of low-key exercise a day is linked with a three-year-longer life expectancy; and just 20 minutes of heart-pumping activity a week may cut your risk of dying from heart disease by as much as 40%. More exercise generally increases those benefits, but the point is, little bits can really add up.
It's the reason Dr. Kado says 'keeping active' is the most important thing, not necessarily 'becoming a gym rat.' Daily walking is one way to do that, she says. And pumping up the intensity of that walk can stretch its benefits: A 2022 study found that notching more high-key exercise (not just more movement in general)—for instance, doing a brisk 7-minute walk versus a 14-minute saunter—is linked with lower heart disease risk.
Embedding more movement into your everyday routines also counts, even if it's not capital-E exercise, Joseph Antoun, MD, PhD, MPP, a longevity researcher and CEO of longevity-focused nutritech company L-Nutra, tells SELF. It's easy to spend the better part of the day relatively immobile, thanks to facets of modern-day society, he points out: We can take an elevator, order food to our door, perhaps toss trash down the chute. Instead, be intentional about, say, opting for the stairs or taking a slightly longer route on your commute or when stepping out to lunch. Better yet if you move with gusto and get a little breathy. Research has shown that in folks who don't exercise, doing one- or two-minute bursts of vigorous movement about three or four times a day is linked with 18% lower risk of cancer and as much as 40% reduced risk of dying from cancer and from any other cause (as compared to folks who didn't do the intense activity spurts).
It turns out, the age-old adage about breakfast being the most important meal of the day has some real credence—it could help you live longer. A bunch of studies have shown that bypassing this first hit of food can put you more at risk from developing or dying from various types of heart disease and stroke. And on the flip side, regularly eating breakfast has been tied to lower overall and heart-related mortality, particularly when that meal includes fiber.
At a basic physiological level, we're designed to function best with an influx of fuel in the morning, Dr. Antoun points out. 'Breakfast nourishes your essential organs when they need it the most.' You have to power your brain and heart for the day of thinking and moving ahead of you. It may also kickstart your metabolism, helping your cells better respond to insulin (a hormone that tells them to take up sugar from your blood). There's also a bit of evidence that routinely noshing on that morning meal can quiet inflammation and reduce blood pressure. By contrast, skipping breakfast could set off your stress response (by starving your body when it needs energy), ticking your blood pressure up. Not to mention, it could mean you wind up eating more food later in the day—which is also linked with greater mortality, perhaps because it futzes with your circadian rhythm.
Shifting your diet in the direction of more whole plant foods may help you live longer by slashing your risk of several big hitters: cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and multiple types of cancer. That effect probably springs in part from the nutrients you're getting from fruits and veg (like vitamins, minerals, and fiber) and in part from what you're consuming less of (like not-so-healthy animal fats and sugary or salty packaged products). But if you're looking for the most longevity bang for your buck, it may be wise to focus especially on the deeply and brightly colored plants, according to Michael Greger, MD, lifestyle medicine physician, author of How Not to Age, and founder of NutritionFacts.org.
He calls out dark leafy greens (like kale, spinach, and arugula) and berries, in particular, as longevity powerhouses. Research has linked eating 80 to 100 grams of these greens (two to three cups raw or half a cup cooked) daily with a 25% lower risk of overall mortality and a slower rate of cognitive decline with age. And consuming various kinds of berries has been associated with a 21% lower risk of dying from any cause as opposed to bypassing them. One possible reason why? These and other intensely colored plants are jam-packed with antioxidants, which can reduce the inflammation at the root of many chronic diseases. (In particular, they help neutralize volatile free radicals, which can build up in the body from the wear and tear of daily life, or things like stress and sun exposure.)
The leafy greens could also offer an extra dose of protection for your heart. They're a rich source of naturally occurring nitrates, Dr. Greger notes. The body can turn these compounds into nitric oxide, which basically acts like a chill pill for your heart, helping relax blood vessels and boost circulation. It's no wonder a 2024 review of studies found that even a 'moderate' intake (less than a serving per day on average) of these greens is linked with a 15% reduction in heart disease risk and nearly 50% lower risk of dying from it.
A couple studies tracking the health outcomes of daily nut-eaters have found that this group has up to a 20% lower death rate than their nut-avoiding peers. And a 2022 review on the topic concluded that munching on 28 grams (a palm-sized scoop) of nuts per day is linked with a 22% reduction in mortality from any cause. It's the reason Dr. Greger names routine nut intake among his top diet tips for longevity (for folks who aren't allergic).
Much of that lifespan boost is likely tied to nuts' cardiovascular upsides—after all, research shows regularly eating nuts is also associated with significantly lower odds of getting or dying from heart disease and stroke, specifically. Why? They contain a few components, like unsaturated fats and bioactive plant compounds, that tamp down on 'bad' LDL cholesterol levels, which reduces the risk of plaque buildup in your arteries. Among their healthy fats are the oft-lauded omega-3 fatty acids, which also help lower inflammation and support the function of your blood vessels. Not to mention, nuts are packed with antioxidant vitamins and minerals that could lend a hand to your heart and other body systems too.
Regularly snacking on any nuts can nab you these longevity-boosting benefits, but walnuts may be the healthiest, Dr. Greger points out. These super-nuts are especially high in omega-3s and antioxidants, so they're a smart choice whether you prefer them solo or as part of a mix.
Anything that helps you conk out and sleep soundly each night can also help you live longer—research has shown that regularly getting quality shuteye can add two to five years to your life expectancy. Keeping the temperature of your bedroom a brisk 60 to 67°F is one way to shuttle your body more quickly into snoozeland and help you get more deep (or slow-wave) sleep, Dr. Antoun says, which is where the longevity magic happens.
During slow-wave sleep, the brain 'clears out a lot of the physiological debris that is created through our everyday bodily functions,' Linda Ercoli, PhD, a geriatric psychologist and interim director of the UCLA Longevity Center, tells SELF. (That process is essential to staying sharp and warding off cognition issues down the line.) This sleep phase is also when a bunch of other restorative processes unfold, as your body repairs damaged cells, regulates certain hormone levels, and fights off would-be infections.
Research suggests dozing in a too-warm bedroom could rob you of these longevity-boosting benefits, as it's linked with shallower, more disrupted sleep. If you don't have control over the exact temp of your bedroom, consider investing in cooling bedding made with a lightweight fabric (like cotton), positioning a fan near your bed, and sleeping naked to help notch down your body temp the old-fashioned way.
Sticking to all the above habits might seem at odds with, well, vibing out with your friends. Who has time for a yap session when you're busy cooking vegetables and exercising and going to bed at a reasonable hour? (Not to mention work and family obligations.) But in reality, social time itself is a key part of any longevity-focused lifestyle. Research suggests having strong connections can boost your 'likelihood of survival' by 50%—whereas, experiencing social isolation is 'a risk factor for all sorts of cognitive and physical decrement,' Dr. Ercoli says, and ups your chance of dying by 29%. Hence why Dr. Antoun recommends prioritizing meet-ups with friends as much as, say, tweaking your diet.
After all, chitchatting or doing activities with loved ones can keep your mental capacities on point—think about how you might exchange advice, problem-solve, trade jokes, or get into a debate, for starters. Connecting with a friend can also take the edge off stress, Dr. Ercoli says. Don't feel like you have a close one to lean on? Research shows even casual interactions with random work acquaintances or strangers on the street can boost your happiness, which is a boon for your well-being and longevity too.
More broadly, spending time with family or other loved ones can remind you of your larger purpose in life, or what really matters, Dr. Antoun says. Not only can that make the everyday inconveniences feel a whole lot less significant and more manageable, but also it can motivate you to do the things on this list to take care of yourself. 'If your social network is giving you that serenity and that happiness, then chances are you'll move more, eat healthier, sleep better,' Dr. Antoun says.
Sharing this information with your doctor can help surface the conditions you're most likely to face and inform what kinds of tests and screenings you may need to detect any potential problem before it can snowball. For instance, if you come from a heart disease and stroke family, your doctor may recommend regular testing for key cardiovascular risk factors like high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and prediabetes. And if a close relative of yours had cancer, they might suggest you get earlier or more frequent screenings, depending on the type. The goal is to be aware of the diseases that are most likely to crop up in your life, so you can catch them STAT if they do, and better your odds of beating them.
Related:
There's a 'Real, Documented Rise' in Cancer in Young People. Should You Be Worried?
4 Ways to Actually Reduce Your Heart Failure Risk, According to Science
7 Ways to Protect Your Brain Health as You Age
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