![](https://www.plusonline.nl/sites/plusonline/files/styles/pol_carousel/public/istock_000063852709_large.jpg?itok=jB8qYGMG)
How do you turn 100?
The elderly – especially people who live to the age of 100 – are sometimes asked the question: what is your secret? The answers are often funny or touching, but of course not scientifically substantiated. However, research is being done into longer life. With these secrets, you may be able to give your life expectancy a nudge in the right direction.
1. Live Consciously
People who live consciously live longer. Several studies point in that direction. This involves, among other things, paying attention to what you are doing, thinking carefully about things and trying to do what is ‘right’. Consciousness often provides healthier choices: it protects your health and strengthens relationships. In addition, it also extends the subjective lifespan, because without realizing it you regularly live on autopilot and forget to look around you.
2. Make friends
Cherish the people you have gathered around you, as several studies have shown a positive link between social ties and longevity. An Australian study, for example, shows that older people with a rich social life have a smaller chance of dying in a ten-year study than peers with few friends.
It is important to choose your friends wisely. Your friends’ habits are often contagious, so be especially around people who lead healthy lives. Certainly smoking and being overweight seem ‘easy’ to take over from people who are close to you.
3. Get married
Married people live longer, at least according to various studies. It can be up to four years apart for men. For women, marriage extends life by an average of two years. According to scientists, it is both the social and economic benefits that cause this effect. In addition, unmarried people more often have a tendency to ‘risky’ behaviour. Unconsciously married couples encourage each other’s healthy habits. Of course, a bad marriage doesn’t have this effect. The associated stress can actually adversely affect life expectancy.
4. Make sleep a priority
A good night’s sleep can lower the risk of obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and mood problems. It also ensures that you recover faster from illness. However, staying overnight is less good for your health. There is some evidence that sleeping less than five hours a night increases the risk of premature death.
A daily afternoon nap also seems like a way to live longer. For example, a study of more than 24,000 people suggested that people who regularly take a power nap in the afternoon have a lower risk of dying from heart disease. Researchers think napping is good for your heart because it keeps stress hormones down.
5. Find a Goal
Hobbies and activities that are meaningful to you may also have a positive effect on life expectancy. Japanese researchers found that men who had a strong sense of purpose were less likely to die from the effects of stroke or heart disease, among other things, over a 13-year study period. There’s also some evidence that knowing what you’re doing and why you’re doing it can reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
6. Control Stress
Of course you can never completely avoid stress, but you can influence how you deal with it. Try to keep calm and keep stressful situations under control. Yoga, meditation, mindfulness, breathing, distancing, walking… It is above all about being able to relax and put things into perspective: see what suits you.
7. Use protection
An accident is in a small corner. Accidents are in the top ten causes of death in the Netherlands. In the age group 15 to 24 years and 25 to 44 years, traffic accidents are even one of the three main causes of death. So it is important to think about your safety. For example, a seat belt reduces the risk of death or serious injury in a car accident by 50 percent. Deaths in a bicycle accident are mainly caused by head injuries. A helmet is therefore not an unnecessary luxury.
8. Know what you eat
Obesity is a risk factor for many diseases. By losing weight, you can significantly reduce the risk of diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Belly fat is especially unhealthy.
However, your diet itself can also have a positive effect on the length of your life. A well-known example is the Mediterranean diet. Thanks to large amounts of fruit, vegetables, whole grains, olive oil and fish, this diet is positive for both the heart and blood vessels.
Less well known is the diet in Okinawa, Japan. In the past, these people also lived significantly longer than elsewhere on the earth due to the traditional diet that is rich in green and yellow vegetables and contains few calories. The younger generations have developed new eating habits and are no longer living as long as their ancestors.
9. Move!
The latter is of course no longer a secret. The evidence is clear: people who exercise regularly live longer on average than unsportsmanlike peers. There are all kinds of studies that show the positive effect of exercise: for example, it reduces the risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, some forms of cancer and depression. It also benefits your cognition and memory.
Sources):