How old would you like to be before you die?
I once heard someone say that he wanted to live to be a 120, and he was taking steps to ensure that that happened.I used to think that was a weird notion, trying to make sure you lived to be old. Doesn’t everyone want to preserve their youth? Feeling old is a bad thing, is it not?
Everyone chases youth because being young is ultimately about quality of life. Being old means being a step slower, being wrinkly, needing medications and help getting down stairs. I’m in my early thirties right now, but every passing year seems to flash by quicker. I’m not old, but at this stage in life a lot of us are starting to talk about getting old. I am just getting to that sweet spot as an Asian female where I no longer get mistaken for a high school student but sometimes still get carded in a dark bar. I have youthful features, but I am starting to see some wrinkles and other signs of aging settling in, like random moles and creaky knees. Wear and tear is inevitable, but as I’ve become more educated about health and fitness, I’ve also realized that there is more we can do to elongate our lives, not just by years, but by quality.
Some of me still works out because I want to eat pizza, yes, but my overall focus has changed. I don’t want to be skinny, I want to be healthy, so when I’m celebrating my over-the-hill birthdays, I can still do the things I do now. Let’s not be afraid of old age, because we might be old but we don’t have to feel old.
The average life expectancy in the United States has increased steadily, from 47(!) years for men and 49 years for women in 1900 to about 77 years now for men and 81 for women. But we’re also doing poorly compared to other high-income nations, in part due to “chronic diseases” like heart disease and diabetes and the highest body-mass index rates of any high-income country.
We’re rich in wealth and poor in health. But as I always say, we can be better. Let's talk about a few ways that we can live longer, and live better.
EXERCISE. Shocking that I would say this, I know. *Everyone* knows that exercise is important, but why, exactly? Exercise can help stave off lifestyle-related diseases, fat accumulation, weight gain, yada yada yada. However, what about actually making us live longer? Consider something I've recently learned about: telomeres.
Telomeres are something that we all have - dynamic chromosome-end structures that act like helmets that protect our cells from damage. And yes, aging is damage. Numerous studies have shown that the length of our telomeres have a direct correlation to life expectancy. A study on multiple sets of twins showed that those who were physically active had longer telomeres than those who were sedentary, EVEN AFTER adjusting for other factors like age, weight, disease, or identical genetic material. Other studies suggest that heavy weight training may be far superior to lengthening telomeres over endurance and other types of training. Moral of the story: Go pick up some weights! I lift at least three times a week and use other days to do some yoga or enjoy time outside hiking or playing tennis.
High Levels of Exercise Linked to 9 Years of Less Aging at the Cellular Level
Strength Training Helps Older Adults Live Longer
BRAIN HEALTH. In recent years, there's been a spate of "brain-training" apps like Lumosity and Brain Trainer that use games and puzzles to "exercise" your brain. Not to put too fine a point on it, but no one wants to look healthy but not be able to remember your loved ones. Studies on dementia have shown that keeping your brain active may significantly reduce your chances of cognitive decline as you age. Read more, take lessons, get some Vitamin D (go outside). My dad, a tenured university professor, once told me that he never planned to retire, because he believed he would just die soon after. What he meant was that he knew that if he didn't have something to keep his mind active, he would wither away pretty quickly. Thankfully, he did retire and is making the most of it by traveling and constantly learning new things like photography, learning Japanese and playing instruments. I hope he lives forever this way.
Ten Tips to Boost your Brain Fitness
SLEEP. You've heard how getting enough sleep is important - sleep is nature's way of giving our bodies and minds a chance to recharge and regroup, the time when muscles are rebuilt after a hard workout. Chronic lack of sleep messes with your ability to regulate your appetite or insulin sensitivity. However, there's also many studies that now show that too much sleep can also have adverse affects on longevity. Research varies and perhaps the jury's still out, but for the most part researchers appear to agree to a sleep sweet spot of about 7-8 hours a night. There's even a great argument for short afternoon naps, which I think should be implemented in our office environments pronto. We may laugh at that, but a 20-minute power nap has shown significant benefits for energy levels and productivity.
Sleep the Single Most Important Determinant in Predicting Longevity
Is it True, the More you Sleep the Longer You Live?
Obviously, these are just a couple of things that scientifically have been shown to have an effect on your longevity - it's more difficult to account for things that are harder to quantify, like our social connections, spiritual lives, or individual possibility of dying in a freak accident. But if you're looking for the things you can control, you can start with these.
Here's to living a long, healthy life!