Age Well With These Habits
When we hear the word “aging,” what typically comes to mind is how old someone is and how that affects that person’s ability to live well.
But aging isn’t always about a person’s chronological age, according to Dr. Dominic Greenyer, a general practitioner at The Health Suite, a private, doctor-led medical and wellness clinic based in the United Kingdom.
“Ageing is not just about time passing,” Dr. Greenyer told HuffingtonPost UK. “It’s about how well the body is maintained.”
Health and wellness experts agree that making small lifestyle changes over time, such as regular exercise, healthy eating, and consistent sleep, can significantly improve longevity and reduce the risk of a heart attack.
Dr. Greenyer said that such lifestyle changes, which help maintain the body, become medically obvious over time. According to Dr. Greenyer, “If you followed two twins over time, you would often see clear differences in their skin, body composition, energy levels and overall health depending on how they live.”
Dr. Greenyer shared lifestyle changes with HuffingtonPost UK that he believes will help in aging well:
1. Building and maintaining muscle
One of the biggest predictors of healthy aging is muscle mass, according to Dr. Greenyer. Muscle mass and strength naturally begin to weaken with age, a process known as sarcopenia. The loss of muscle mass begins gradually in our 30s or 50s and accelerates between ages 65 and 80, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Studies have found that sarcopenia has been associated with an increased risk of dementia. Also, Dr. Greenyer noted that resistance training can also reduce the likelihood of frailty, fractures, and falls, which are often linked to increased dementia risk.
There is further evidence that strength training is a strong predictor of healthy aging because it helps prevent sarcopenia. What’s more, studies have also found that combining strength training with different exercises, such as yoga and gardening, can increase life expectancy by 19 percent.
2. Making sleep and recovery a priority
Getting a good night’s sleep is the best way to recharge our minds and bodies every day. However, as people get older, they have more difficulty getting consistent sleep, which puts them at risk of developing certain health conditions.
“Chronic poor sleep can accelerate ageing at a cellular level,” Dr. Greenyer explained. “It affects hormones, recovery, inflammation, and even visible signs like skin quality.”
To promote consistent sleep, the Vitality Research Institute and The London School of Economics and Political Science released a report on the “7-1” sleeping rule, an evidence-based framework for getting better sleep.
The approach calls for getting at least seven hours of sleep a night and falling asleep within a one-hour window around an established bedtime. The “7-1” sleeping rule could add years to your life, according to the report.
3. Reducing inflammation through lifestyle choices
Inflammation, in and of itself, isn’t all bad. In fact, it’s the body’s natural, protective immune response to injury, infection, or irritation. Inflammation can help our bodies heal and may play a role in muscle growth.
However, inflammation can work against the body as it ages. “Inflammaging,” a combination of the words “inflammation” and “aging,” occurs when inflammation becomes chronic and may contribute to conditions such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, dementia, and frailty.
Inflammaging “is influenced by diet, stress, alcohol intake, and overall lifestyle,” Dr. Greenyer explained. He pointed out that eating whole foods, staying active, and handling stress effectively might help reduce unwanted inflammation.
4. Maintaining “metabolic flexibility”
Metabolic flexibility is the body’s ability to easily shift between using carbohydrates for immediate energy and fat for sustained fuel.
“When this is impaired, people are more prone to energy crashes, fat gain, and insulin resistance,” Dr. Greenyer said.
Dr. Greenyer believes that maintaining metabolic flexibility can lead to better health outcomes as we get older. For example, it may help reduce the buildup of senescent cells, also known as “zombie cells.” These cells stop dividing because of damage or stress. However, they do not die, just as fictional zombies do not die. Instead, senescent cells accumulate in tissues over time. This buildup of cells has been shown to contribute to chronic inflammation and various aging-related diseases.
According to Dr. Greener, regular exercise, a healthy diet, and avoiding constant snacking may help preserve metabolic flexibility.
5. Enjoy life, in moderation
Many studies suggest that enjoying ourselves—whether it’s spending time with friends or even treating ourselves to our favorite candy—might just help us live longer.
“There is good evidence that polyphenol-rich foods such as dark chocolate can support cardiovascular health when consumed in moderation,” Dr. Greenyer said. “Just as important is maintaining strong social connections, which are consistently associated with longer lifespan and better mental wellbeing.”
According to Dr. Greenyer, it all adds up to this: Developing and maintaining positive lifestyle habits are major contributors to healthy aging.
“The difference comes from small choices repeated over years—but they should still allow you to enjoy life,” Dr. Greenyer said.
Source Links:
https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/doctors-life-expectancy-exercise-diet-sleep_uk_69cd0406e4b0332f12c09593
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/23167-sarcopenia
https://www.vitality.co.uk/media-online/advisers/literature/campaigns/vitality-sleep-white-paper.pdf
