A lot of factors can affect your longevity, but one of the most effective ways is to stay active and exercise regularly. It does this by affecting your body and mind in several ways – all of them are beneficial and they can add years to your life.
Many tips on how to live longer come from a community in California where many Seventh-Day Adventists live. The city of Loma Linda is largely composed of people of this denomination and they are among the longest-lived people in the United States – one of the few Blue Zones of the world. They live very healthy lifestyles that include regular exercise and resting one day a week.
One of the best benefits of exercise is that it can lead to better health. It does this by strengthening your immune system, which will lower your risk of getting diseases that will shorten your life. Disease is one thing that kills many people earlier than expected simply because they live unhealthy lifestyles and have weak immune systems. A workout that increases your heart rate will work best to accomplish a stronger immune system.
Having a regular exercise program of some kind will also enable you to maintain your mobility. Regular exercise will help keep your muscles and bones stronger, which will help you enjoy life more because you can still be active and get around. It will also enable you to maintain your independence longer.
Once you lose muscle tone and strength, which will occur naturally, you will tend to move less and less. As you age, you are also going to feel more aches and pains, which could also reduce your mobility. Fighting this tendency with an active exercise program will help you stay active and could enable you to live another eight to ten years longer.
Another factor that will shorten your life is stress. Stress affects all your organs negatively. Exercise helps reduce stress and its effects because it enables your body to become more resistant to the effects of stress.
A good workout will also cause your body to produce more hormones to help reduce pain and enable you to feel good. This effect can last for hours after each workout. Regular exercise will also help reduce anxiety and depression – and enable you to sleep better.
Your energy levels will also increase when you have a regular exercise program. It will enable you to have more energy in the daytime, helping you to stay more active, alert, and able to do more.
Many people today suffer from back pain. This problem could easily cause you to avoid a more active lifestyle and increase your risk of dying early. Strength training helps to rebuild the muscles that support your spine and reduce your back pain considerably – helping you enjoy a more active lifestyle longer and increase your longevity.
Some recent studies have also found another benefit of exercise – it can help reduce your risk of dementia. It may not completely prevent it, but it can help to delay its development. Even people who were genetically inclined to dementia were found to be able to reduce the risk and live longer without it.
Many types of exercises are available that will help you to have greater longevity. Most forms of exercise are beneficial as long as it increases your heart rate. It is best when performed for at least 30 minutes a day and at least five days a week.