Submitted by Carriage Crossing of Bloomington
Want the secret to living a longer and healthier life? Scientists have found ways to prolong the healthy lifespans of worms, mice, and even monkeys. Their work has revealed exciting new clues about the biology of aging. But solid evidence still shows that the best way to boost the chance of living a long and active life is to follow the advice you’ve likely heard many times: eat well, exercise regularly, get plenty of sleep, and stay away from bad habits.
People born in the U.S. today can expect to live to an average age of about 79. A century ago, life expectancy was closer to 54. We’ve had a significant increase in lifespan over the last century. Now, if you make it to age 65, the likelihood that you’ll make it to 85 is very high. And if you make it to 85, the likelihood that you’ll make it to 92 is very high. So people are living longer, and it’s happening across the globe.
Older people tend to be healthier nowadays, too. Research has shown that healthful behaviors can help you stay active and healthy into your 60s, 70s, and beyond. In fact, a long-term study of Seventh-day Adventists—a religious group with a generally healthy lifestyle—shows that they tend to remain healthier into old age. Their life expectancy is nearly 10 years longer on average than most Americans. The Adventists’ age-enhancing behaviors include regular exercise, a vegetarian diet, avoiding tobacco and alcohol, and maintaining a healthy weight.
Many experts rank exercise as the most important thing associated with living longer and healthier. Exercise is especially important for lengthening active life expectancy, which is life without disease and without physical and mental/thinking disability.
Natural changes to the body as we age can lead to a gradual loss of muscle, reduced energy, and achy joints. These changes may make it tempting to move less and sit more. But doing that can raise your risk for disease, disability, and even death. It’s important to work with a doctor to find the types of physical activity that can help you maintain your health and mobility.
Another sure way to improve your chances for a longer, healthier life is to shed excess weight. Being obese—with a body mass index (BMI) higher than 30—is a risk factor for early death, and it shortens your active life expectancy.
Not smoking is another pathway to a longer, healthier life. There’s no question that smoking is a hard habit to break. But data suggest that from the moment you stop smoking, there are health benefits. So it’s worthwhile making that effort.
You might think you need good genes to live longer. But genes are only part of the equation for most people. Research shows that genes account for less than one-third of your chances of surviving to age 85. The vast majority of variation in how old we live to be is due to our health behaviors.
The influence of genes is stronger, though, for people who live to older ages, such as beyond 95. It seems there’s not a single gene that imparts a strong effect on the ability to get to these older ages. Instead, it’s the combined effects of probably hundreds of genes, each with weak effects individually, but having the right combination can lead to a very strong effect, especially for living to the oldest ages.
It’s a good idea to be skeptical of claims for a quick fix to aging-related problems. The key to healthy aging is to engage fully in life—mentally, physically, and socially. Transitioning to older years isn’t about sitting in a rocking chair and letting the days slip by.
Carriage Crossing Senior Living at Bloomington proudly offers exceptional care in Assisted Living and Memory Care to older adults in their welcoming community at 1402 Leslie Drive, Bloomington, IL 61704. “Live the Life You Love” while having enrichment opportunities, supportive services, and the security you need to feel confident in your new home. For information or to schedule a tour, please call Kaleigh Newsome, Community Relations Director, at 309-603-2500 or visit carriagecrossingsl.com to learn more about their communities across central Illinois in Bloomington, Champaign, Arcola, Rochester, Decatur, and Taylorville. They have a caregiver support group that meets on the 2nd Thursday of each month at 4:00 at their Bloomington facility.