If you want to improve your health this year, there’s good news: even small changes in your sleep, diet, and exercise can make a big difference in how long you live.
According to Nicholas Koemel from the University of Sydney, just five more minutes of sleep, two extra minutes of brisk walking, and adding a half-serving of vegetables daily could lead to an additional year of life. It’s a simple formula where little adjustments add up.
We all know sleeping well and eating right are essential, but recent studies reveal just how tiny changes can positively impact our lifespan. For example, a study analyzing data from nearly 60,000 adults in the UK Biobank found that the bottom 5% of participants, those with the unhealthiest lifestyles, averaged only five hours of sleep and very little exercise.
In contrast, individuals who improved their habits slightly by sleeping just five minutes longer and engaging in two extra minutes of physical activity lived about a year longer than the least healthy group.
Koemel emphasizes that these small tweaks can significantly boost health, showing a 24-minute increase in sleep and just four extra minutes of exercise could lead to four more healthy years, free from serious conditions like heart disease and diabetes. “People may gain not just longevity, but quality years too,” he notes.
This idea is echoed by a study from Ulf Ekelund at the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences, which indicated that if most people, except the fittest 20%, added five minutes of exercise daily, around 10% of deaths in eight years could be prevented.
However, researchers warn about the limitations of relying solely on self-reported dietary data and a one-week monitoring period for physical activity. As Alan Cohen from Columbia University states, these factors can obscure true long-term habits.
To truly understand how long it takes for these health changes to influence lifespan, more studies are needed. It’s also crucial to determine how these effects vary across different age groups and cultures, especially in areas with different health challenges.
In summary, making simple changes to your lifestyle—like just a few minutes more sleep, a bit more exercise, and a touch more greenery on your plate—can be a pathway to a longer, healthier life. Why not give it a try?
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