“The scientific word I use is healthspan, which means the time in which a human is free from disease,” Stephen Anton, PhD, of the Institute on Aging says. “This is a combination of health and quality life.”
While aging is in part determined by genes, how you live has a large influence too.
“It’s clear there are habits that shorten your lifespan,” Dr. Anton says. “We can assume avoiding these habits will lead to living longer.”
Here are three things that age you:
Mistake 1: Sitting Too Much
Being sedentary puts you at risk for a range of diseases. There was previously the belief that if you exercised, it didn’t matter that you were sitting for the rest of the day.
“It’s now clear that is not true. Even with daily exercise, what you do with your remaining hours also has a huge influence on your health,” Dr. Anton says.
Fix it: Use small periods of sitting, standing and activity is a great idea.
Mistake 2: Never Eating Vegetables
Veggies are not the tastiest food, but never eating them does a lot of harm to your health.
“The foundation of health is your diet,” Kimberly Gomer, RD, of the Pritikin Longevity Center says. “After changing our patients’ diets, the first change I see is that they suddenly look younger,” she says.
Fix it: Plant-based diets filled with veggies give plenty of fiber — a heart-healthy and anti-cancer ingredient — along with anti-inflammatory minerals.
Mistake 3: Not Sleeping Enough
“Sleep repairs your body and mind by allowing your cells to rejuvenate,” Dr. Anton says. “It is as crucial for your health as diet and exercise.” he says.
To help yourself get more sleep, avoid consuming high-calorie and high-sugar foods or drinking a lot close to bedtime.
Fix it: Everyone needs different amounts of sleep, but the general guideline is to get seven hours or more every night. The key is you should awake feeling rested.