healthy diet.
These researchers looked at the impact of having social relationships on adults’ overall health over several decades. They found that adults with fewer social interactions were at a greater risk for chronic illnesses, including cancer.
If you’re already a social butterfly, keep it up. But, if being social doesn’t come naturally to you, try to join groups in your city based on your hobbies and interests. You can also be more proactive in your existing friendships by picking up the phone to call someone or planning meetups with your friends or family members.
Learn more.
Learning well after you finish school may not necessarily help you look any younger, but it can help slow down the symptoms of aging in your brain. It’s inevitable that over time your memory will become less sharp and your ability to concentrate will falter.
However, neurologists have found that people who are constantly learning — whether it’s playing a new instrument, learning a new language, or reading up on a new subject— can delay the symptoms of mental decline and memory loss.
According to a number of studies, constant learning can even delay symptoms of Alzheimer’s and give you more years of mental fortitude. So pick up a book, sign up for a class, or dive into a podcast on a new topic, and you’ll think like you’re 20 for years to come (without the 20-year-old antics, we hope).
Get outside.
There are countless health benefits to spending time outside, especially in nature. But even if you live in a big city, being outdoors for extended periods of time has been shown to improve your short-term memory, reduce stress levels, lower disease-causing inflammation, and even improve your vision.
Most of these benefits come from taking a break from being indoors under artificial lights, staring at screens and sitting for long periods of time. Over time, the effects of being indoors without natural light, and clean air, can cause a decline in your overall health.
To turn back the clock, you can aim to spend about 30 minutes or more outside each day. If you can, do more outside for a longer stretch of time on the weekends as well. You should notice immediate benefits to your mood and health while adding years to your life in the process.
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Use sunscreen.
While you should spend ample amounts of time outside to reap all the anti-aging benefits, everything, even that precious natural light, comes at some cost.
Before heading outside for any period of time—even if you’re just driving— be sure to slather on sunscreen that protects your skin from damaging ultraviolet (UV) rays. Prolonged exposure to UV rays can lead to premature aging of your skin, and it puts you at increased risk of skin cancer. So go outside, but never leave without your sunscreen.
Love more.
Researchers have long found that companionship can help you live longer. When you’re in a stable relationship, studies show that your anxiety levels go down, you have less inflammation, and your hormones are more balanced overall. The long-term impact of these effects will cut down your risk for chronic disease, help you sleep better, and decrease instances of depression. With fewer risks for health complications, you could have more time to love up on your someone special.
Give more love and get more life!
Sharita Jennings is a fitness and travel enthusiast and creator of Get Fit Like That, LLC. She is a health policy attorney and ACE certified group fitness instructor and fitness nutrition specialist. She provides online fitness plans and leads group fitness classes in Washington DC. Check out her fitness tips and workouts at GetFitLikeThat.com.