Tips to Live Longer

Top Ten Ways to Enjoy Life and Live Longer

Life is beautiful to those who know how to enjoy it. Though life is temporary and short, it is possible to maximize the span of our existence by living healthy and savoring every moment of life. Yet, this is easier said than done as human nature has always been tuned to ‘Race for It’, as if there were no tomorrows.

How often do we stop to admire how green our garden looks? Or count the daily blessings showered on us? Instead, we waste precious moments to ruminate about ‘the other side of the grass being greener.’

Perhaps this is why the well known American lecturer and author, Dale Carnegie had said, “One of the most tragic things I know about human nature is that all of us tend to put off living. We are all dreaming of some magical rose garden over the horizon-instead of enjoying the roses blooming outside our windows today.”

Before we completely miss the woods for the trees, it is time to halt in your tracks and question the direction in life. If enjoying life and living long is on your wish list, take your call with the following pointers.

Tips to have fun and live long

1. Slow down – get a bit out of pace

In our jet setting lifestyle, the words ‘slow’ may seem a bit out of place. Doing only one thing at a time to consciously avoid multitasking lowers stress levels and reduces the risk of other lifestyle ailments. Getting out of pace when everybody has pressed the accelerator may seem inappropriate, yet that may be the best way to enjoy life and live long.

2. Smile more for an ‘out of the world’ experience

The ‘A’ appeal goes up several notches, if only we care to smile. Not only does smiling increase your attractiveness, it improves health by reducing stress. Smiling is contagious, making you more approachable. A simple smile can do wonders for our immune system. When you smile more, the benefits are innumerable.

• Smiling enhances mood
• Reduces stress
• Lowers blood pressure
• Enhances release of ‘feel good’ hormones, endorphins
• Stimulates the release of serotonin to offset depression

Above all, it sets you in a positive frame of mind.

3. Learn to relax

We might feel like as if we carry the burden of the whole world on our shoulders. Instead of getting bogged down by our daily pressures, simply unwind by devoting 20 minutes each day to relax. Deep breathing exercises for 20 minutes brings about calm, lowers blood pressure and helps maintain a positive outlook throughout the day. It ensures we are in a better position to handle stress in the day.

4. Fall in love with exercise and fitness

Exercise or any form of fitness/physical activity is a must for a long and healthy life. Exercise increases longevity by keeping weight in check, lowers blood pressure and cholesterol, and wards off lifestyle diseases.

According to John Jakicic, director of the Physical Activity and Weight Management Research Center at the University of Pittsburgh, brisk walk for an hour every day is enough to lose weight and maintain it.

Exercise causes the release of endorphins in our body, which is why regular fitness endeavors keep our spirits high!

Exercise also reduces appetite, relieves stress, and keeps us happy.

5. Beauty sleep – Never sleep over this

Those who consistently sleep less than 6 or 7 hours increase their risk of lifestyle diseases. Getting 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night keeps the heart healthy. Inadequate sleep increases the risk of heart disease and stroke.

Lack of sleep impacts the levels of certain chemicals in the brain, for instance serotonin. Deficiency of serotonin can increase the risk of depression.

Sleep well to –

• Keep brain alert
• Strengthen memory
• Reduce stress
• Ward off depression
• Improve performance
• Be happy
• Live long

A power nap after lunch is highly recommended to lower stress levels and decrease the risk of heart disease.

6. Value your relationships; spend time with family and friends

We are social beings, therefore loneliness and isolation is detrimental for health. Time spent with family and friends boost the immune system. Perhaps this explains why those in insecure relationships are always prone to ill health.

Bad relationships increase stress, which negatively impacts the heart. Loneliness increases the risk of cognitive decline, the very lonely carry a double risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

7. Develop a positive attitude

Positive attitude enhances a person’s desire to seek the joys of life. The positive attitude equips the body to fight diseases, by strengthening the immune system. Stress eves are lowered and along with this the risks of severe ailments come crashing. Life seems to be on a platter with a positive attitude.

8. Eat a healthy diet

A healthy diet works like magic for good health and long life. Food rich in protein, vitamins, boost our nutritional levels and decrease our chances of falling ill. Good diet keeps the brain alert, packs energy for our daily needs, and keeps the heart healthy. It keeps us looking good and strong.

9. Work-life balance

Work is undoubtedly a significant part of our life, we work to earn our bread and butter, and enjoy a decent quality of life. Work boosts our self-esteem, giving us the invaluable sense of purpose.

Though work is a positive factor in our life, without which we can feel depressed and ill, yet overwork can upset the apple cart. Overwork increases stress and causes burn out. Stress can bring on a host of diseases- diabetes, heart disease, stroke and even depression.

10. Develop hobbies

What is life without hobbies? Hobbies add a new dimension to mundane life. It brings to the fore hitherto undiscovered aspects of ones personality. It brings in a breath of fresh air by banishing monotony and boredom. Hobbies help elevate mood and create happiness.

“In the best of times, our days are numbered anyway. So it would be a crime against nature for any generation to take the world crisis so solemnly, that it put off enjoying those things for which we were designed in the 1st place: the opportunity to do good work, to enjoy friends, to fall in love, to hit a ball, and to bounce a baby.”- Alistair Cooke

You live only once- live jolly to live well!