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Increasing Life Expectancy in 4 Effective yet Simple Ways

By Operation-Meditation

It has been scientifically well established that our genes account for only a third of our life expectancy, while the rest (a whopping 70%) depends on our lifestyle: what we do, what we eat, what we drink, and the risks we take. Basically, it’s what we do with our lives the moment we achieve enough awareness to be responsible for our decisions is what determines whether we get to reach the ripe old age of 90 or die of a massive heart attack at 30. The good side: in increasing life expectancy, the following are the most effective—they are simple enough to do right away, but they require dedication and the force of habit to become part of your daily schedule.

1. Jogging

We often say that exercise has a significant effect in increasing life expectancy, but let’s make it even simpler: jogging. The significance of jogging in increasing the human life span has been demonstrated in a number of recent medical studies. In a study conducted in Denmark and involved thousands of participants, jogging at least an hour each week has been found to increase the life span by at least 6 years. You don’t have to buy expensive gym equipment or sign up at the local fitness club. Maybe the most expensive thing you can buy in order to ensure your safety or protect yourself from physical injury is buying a nice pair of special trainer shoes from one of those pricey sports equipment brands. But apart from that, jogging does not require much—you can start today, right now, all you need to do is go out that door and start running.

2. Meditation

Spending a few minutes each day alone, in some quiet spot in your home, and performing deep breathing exercises and mentally focusing on positive and calming thoughts have been found to reduce or even eliminate stress. And as stress is generally the last thing you need regarding the matter of increasing life expectancy, removing stress is right up there among your top priorities. Moreover, regular meditation has also been shown to enhance the body’s production of life-enhancing hormones, such as melatonin, DHEA, GABA and serotonin—these are neurochemicals that keep us feeling healthy, calm and at peace with our selves. And you can’t go wrong with that: a constant sense of well-being is key in living a good, long life.

3. Sunlight

It has been found out that many adults lack vitamin D—a highly important nutrient that plays a vital role in providing protection from heart disease, diabetes and practically every other ailment known to man. Most of us work at an office, which means our exposure to sunlight is severely limited. Even if you’re working right beside a glass wall with some sunlight coming in, this may not count: office buildings are often equipped with UV layer protection that defeats the very purpose of getting some sun. So go out and enjoy some sunlight—as little as 15 or 30 minutes of sun exposure a day is enough to keep you well-nourished. Not only that, sunlight is also known to regulate the body’s levels of melatonin—an important “feel good” hormone that helps stabilize our mood and control our sleep cycle.

4. Staying connected with others

Most importantly, as we are all social creatures by nature, we constantly need that connection with others. Increasing life expectancy, therefore, is also about maintaining deep personal bonds with your loved ones or friends. Hang out with your family. No man is an island—start living in physical and emotional isolation, and your survival quickly dips to zero. And besides, hanging out with people you like and who also like you feels really good and gives you a sense that everything is alright.

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