1. Wait Longer to Retire
While an early retirement sounds appealing, it may wind up leading to an early demise. Greek researchers found that waiting an additional 5 years to retire resulted in a 10% decrease in mortality in that time period.
2. Floss
In addition to keeping your pearly whites looking good into old age, flossing on a daily basis can actually help prevent heart disease. While the causal relationship isn’t entirely clear, people with gum disease are twice as likely to have heart problems as those with a healthy mouth.
3. Have More Sex
Sounds fun, right? Researchers found that men who had high orgasmic frequency had a 50% lower mortality rate within ten years of the study than men who had a lower orgasmic frequency.
4. Surround Yourself with Plants
Keeping ornamental plants around your home or office may be a very healthy decision. In addition to giving your mood a boost, certain indoor plants may actually help pull pollutants out of the air, meaning that you’ll be exposed to fewer carcinogens and will be at less risk for respiratory issues.
5. Move to the Country
Leaving the city may do very good things for your longevity. A study of life expectancy in rural and urban areas of England between 2001 and 2007 found that those who lived in rural areas tended to live longer than their city counterparts.
6. Eat a Mediterranean Diet
A study published earlier this year found that individuals who followed a Mediterranean diet rich in olive oil or nuts were less likely to experience a cardiovascular event than individuals who followed a low-fat diet.
7. Have More Kids
A 2011 study found that women in California who had at least four children were less likely to experience death due to stroke or cardiovascular disease than women who had fewer children.
8. Eat Dessert
A pair of researchers at Harvard University found that individuals who don’t consume any sweets or “almost never” indulge in dessert were actually more likely to die in the multi-decade study follow-up period than those who occasionally ate candy or chocolate.
Moderation is key, of course, as mortality did not continue to decrease as consumption of sweets increased, but you’re better off dipping into the candy jar a few times a week than depriving yourself entirely.
9. Drink (Moderately)
Although the research continues to develop, indulging in alcohol moderately may have some protective effects against heart disease. While some proponents say that red wine is the way to go due to its antioxidant content, other research suggests that wine, beer, and spirits have no significant differences when it comes to heart health.
10. Sleep Less than 8 Hours
While the “magic number” for sleep duration seems to have become 8 hours, studies have shown that sleeping slightly less – between six and seven hours – may actually be better for your health. In a 2004 study, researchers found that women who slept between six and seven hours per night had the lowest mortality rate out of all the groups studied.
While an early retirement sounds appealing, it may wind up leading to an early demise. Greek researchers found that waiting an additional 5 years to retire resulted in a 10% decrease in mortality in that time period.
2. Floss
In addition to keeping your pearly whites looking good into old age, flossing on a daily basis can actually help prevent heart disease. While the causal relationship isn’t entirely clear, people with gum disease are twice as likely to have heart problems as those with a healthy mouth.
3. Have More Sex
Sounds fun, right? Researchers found that men who had high orgasmic frequency had a 50% lower mortality rate within ten years of the study than men who had a lower orgasmic frequency.
4. Surround Yourself with Plants
Keeping ornamental plants around your home or office may be a very healthy decision. In addition to giving your mood a boost, certain indoor plants may actually help pull pollutants out of the air, meaning that you’ll be exposed to fewer carcinogens and will be at less risk for respiratory issues.
5. Move to the Country
Leaving the city may do very good things for your longevity. A study of life expectancy in rural and urban areas of England between 2001 and 2007 found that those who lived in rural areas tended to live longer than their city counterparts.
6. Eat a Mediterranean Diet
A study published earlier this year found that individuals who followed a Mediterranean diet rich in olive oil or nuts were less likely to experience a cardiovascular event than individuals who followed a low-fat diet.
7. Have More Kids
A 2011 study found that women in California who had at least four children were less likely to experience death due to stroke or cardiovascular disease than women who had fewer children.
8. Eat Dessert
A pair of researchers at Harvard University found that individuals who don’t consume any sweets or “almost never” indulge in dessert were actually more likely to die in the multi-decade study follow-up period than those who occasionally ate candy or chocolate.
Moderation is key, of course, as mortality did not continue to decrease as consumption of sweets increased, but you’re better off dipping into the candy jar a few times a week than depriving yourself entirely.
9. Drink (Moderately)
Although the research continues to develop, indulging in alcohol moderately may have some protective effects against heart disease. While some proponents say that red wine is the way to go due to its antioxidant content, other research suggests that wine, beer, and spirits have no significant differences when it comes to heart health.
10. Sleep Less than 8 Hours
While the “magic number” for sleep duration seems to have become 8 hours, studies have shown that sleeping slightly less – between six and seven hours – may actually be better for your health. In a 2004 study, researchers found that women who slept between six and seven hours per night had the lowest mortality rate out of all the groups studied.
