You want to live for a long time. Currently, the average life expectancy is 74.8 years for men and 80.2 years for women.¹ But your goal is to be above average. And there are ways to do that.

Just think: The average age people lived to in the year 1900 was just 48 years. It increased to 67 years in 1950 and has been on the rise until 2020 when it took a dip to 78.9. The reason for the drop is attributed to negative social trends; such as unbalanced diets, inactive lifestyles, high medical costs and an increase in drug use and suicides.²

Along the lines of setting yourself up for a longer life, there are many things a person can do — including diet and exercise — to make a difference in your quantity and quality of years.

Here are some healthy habits you can implement today so that you live longer tomorrow.

Get Healthy Lifestyle

Research says it takes an average of 66 days for a habit to become automatic.³ And good habits build happier lives. So what are you waiting for?

Eat healthy

Opt for whole grains, fruits, vegetables, lean proteins and nuts and legumes over processed foods. Nutrient-dense, dark leafy greens and broccoli and orange vegetables (such as carrots and sweet potatoes) are especially good for you.⁴

A healthy diet has many benefits, including strong bones, disease protection, heart care, and mood boost.⁴

Healthy eating patterns reduces your risk of an early death by nearly 20%. That means you can keep cancer, cardiovascular illness, and respiratory and neurodegenerative diseases at bay for a longer time.⁵

Thankfully, there are many different ways of eating that constitute healthy eating. They include Mediterranean, the healthful plant-based diet⁵, and vegetarian and semi-vegetarian diets. So, if you become bored with one way of eating, you can shake it up.

It’s also important to keep in mind the importance of eating in moderation. Eating slowly and with purpose will help you do this. That along with living by the traditional Okinawan saying, “Hara hachi bu,” which means “Eat until you are 80% full.” Good advice from a people who once lived longer than any other people on the planet.⁶

Get physical and exercise

Regularly exercising lowers your chances of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, some cancers, and depression. It can be moderate but it’s important to do it 2.5 hours per week, even if it’s for 10-minute spurts.⁶ That amounts to about 30 minutes/five days a week of bike riding, walking, swimming laps, hiking, dancing, or whatever your heart desires.

Interestingly, if you exercise more than the recommended amount, you increase your chances of living longer. Exercising two to four times more than what’s recommended lowers your risk of dying from cardiovascular disease. Those who engaged in moderate exercise for 300 to 599 minutes each week lowered their all-cause mortality by 26% to 31%, and their cardiovascular mortality lowered by 28% to 38%. Additionally, non-cardiovascular mortality decreased by 25% to 27%.⁷

Those are pretty good reasons to get more exercise.

There’s no shame in starting small. A brisk walk, a short yoga flow or dancing to a few of your favorite upbeat songs is good for your health.

Get quality sleep

Getting enough sleep does your body good. A recent study that acquired data from more than 172,000 adults with the average age of 50 — 54% of them being women — shows that sleep behavior and sleep duration might influence how long you live. Men who get adequate sleep can live about five years longer and women two years.14

So, seek help if you have any sleep disorders and practice good sleep hygiene, such as putting away electronic devices well before bedtime.

Managing your weight

A person’s age, height, gender, muscle-to-fat ratio, body type, and genetics play a role in determining a healthy weight. People with a high body mass index (BMI) are more likely to experience weight-related conditions, such as diabetes, hypertension, sleep apnea, high cholesterol, and osteoarthritis.⁸

Many people struggle to manage their weight as they age. Physiological changes in middle age can impact body mass, which impacts strength and metabolism. If you need to lose weight take heart that a modest weight loss of 5-10% of your body weight will put you on the path to better health.⁹  

Eliminate unhealthy habits (like smoking and too much alcohol)

Everyone knows that smoking is bad for your health. It makes you age faster and it causes heart and lung diseases. People who smoke have a shorter life expectancy than those who don’t. Quitting smoking at any age has health benefits, no matter how long or how much you have smoked. Quitting reduces the risk of premature death and can add as much as 10 years to your life.¹⁰

Drinking too much alcohol poses significant health risks. Even low levels of alcohol, such as a glass of red wine, aren’t necessarily good for your heart, as it was once believed to be. Drinking alcohol is associated with risks of developing noncommunicable diseases such as liver diseases, heart diseases, and different types of cancers, as well as mental health and behavioral conditions such as depression, anxiety and alcohol use disorders.¹¹ So, perhaps, to help you unwind at the end of the day, opt to get some fresh air instead of going to happy hour.

Live a life of purpose and meaning

Living a fulfilling and purposeful life is linked to longevity in older adults. Having a sense of purpose means different things for different people. It could mean contributing to their community, having a successful career, taking care of family, or something else.

Some studies suggest that having a sense of purpose can increase life expectancy. The motivation and positive outlook from a purpose driven life may contribute to a longer, healthier life.¹⁶

It’s never too late to find your purpose, people who pursue their life purpose at older ages often work beyond retirement age, volunteer in their communities, pursue hobbies, and engage with others, thereby not just living longer, but healthier and more fulfilling lives.

Create social connections

Feeling cared for, valued, and supported by the people in our lives greatly influence our minds, bodies, and behaviors — leading to a longer and healthier life. That’s because these relationships make us feel stable and supported. In turn, we’ll make healthier choices for our mental and physical well-being. And we’ll also be able to better cope with stress and anxiety.¹³

Choose the sunny side of life

Choosing to be optimistic gives you a greater chance of living past 90. One study reports that men and women who were highly optimistic lived on average 11% to 15% longer than those who didn’t practice positive thinking. Optimism is like a muscle, it can be trained to become stronger through positive thoughts and gratitude.¹⁵

Here are three ways to get you in a more positive mindset:

• Surround yourself with positive people.
• Eliminate negative self-talk.
• Practice gratitude.

Also, being mindful and meditating puts you in a better mindset, and studies are showing it even slows the effects of aging and could prolong your lifespan.