Want to stay healthy as you age? It is very easy to do so.
You just need to make three simple habits part of your routine, and the good news is that they do not require much effort.
A study conducted by the University of Sydney in Australia found that by adopting three simple changes in daily routines, you can improve your health and increase your lifespan.
The study stated that a few extra minutes of sleep each day, along with exercise and a slightly higher intake of vegetables, can help achieve good health and a longer life.
Previous research reports have shown that diet, exercise, and sleep are important for good health.
However, this study examined how these three elements support one another.
For the research, data from more than 60,000 individuals was analyzed. Their sleep duration and levels of physical activity were recorded, and details about their dietary habits were also collected.
The health of these individuals was monitored for eight years. According to the study, adopting these habits helps protect against several chronic diseases such as lung diseases, dementia, heart disease, cancer, and type 2 diabetes.
Researchers stated that making this combination of diet, exercise, and sleep a regular part of daily life can increase lifespan.
The study found that even if a person follows an unhealthy lifestyle, adding just five extra minutes of sleep per day, two extra minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity, and eating a few extra spoonfuls of vegetables can increase average life expectancy by one year.
Similarly, making it a habit to get 24 extra minutes of sleep, four extra minutes of exercise, and consuming one cup of vegetables and whole grains daily could increase lifespan by four years.
According to the study, if a person sleeps seven to eight hours daily, exercises for more than 40 minutes a day, and maintains a healthy diet, their lifespan could increase by up to nine years while maintaining good health.
