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Eight habits that could help people live more than 20 years longer have been identified by researchers. While it’s long been known that certain lifestyle factors can influence lifespan, the American study isolated the eight factors that have the biggest impact – being physically active, being free from opioid addiction, not smoking, managing stress, having a good diet, not regularly binge drinking, having good sleep hygiene, and having positive social relationships. The research was presented at Nutrition 2023, the annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition, and used data from 719,147 people enrolled in the Veterans Affairs Million Veteran Program. It found low physical activity, opioid use and smoking were associated with around a 30-45% higher risk of death, while stress, binge drinking, poor diet, and poor sleep hygiene were each associated with around a 20% increase, and lack of positive social relationships was linked with a 5% increased risk of dying. Men who had all eight habits at age 40 were predicted to live an average 24 years longer than men with none of the habits, according to the findings, and women with all eight habits in middle age were predicted to live an extra 21 years, compared with women with none of the habits. Xuan-Mai Nguyen, health science specialist at the Department of Veterans Affairs, said: “We were really surprised by just how much could be gained with the adoption of one, two, three, or all eight lifestyle factors. Our research findings suggest that adopting a healthy lifestyle is important for both public health and personal wellness. The earlier the better, but even if you only make a small change in your 40s, 50s, or 60s, it still is beneficial.” The researchers say the findings highlight how lifestyle factors contribute to chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease, which are associated with premature disability and death. How to embrace the eight healthy habits Inspired to give your own lifestyle a boost? “If making these small but mighty adjustments could help you to live for an extra 20 years, maybe it’s time to make those changes,” says life and wellbeing coach, Natalie Trice. She shares the following insights and tips… 1. Do more exerciseRegular exercise can help prevent a wide range of major diseases – plus it’s great for keeping stress levels in check. “Going for a walk, having a swim, running with friends, even just a good old dance-off in the kitchen can get your heartbeat up and those feel-good endorphins pumping – so get your trainers on and start moving,” says Trice. 2. Manage stressTrice suggests adopting simple stress-busting practices such as mindfulness meditation, and enjoying hobbies and sports. “These can profoundly impact overall wellbeing, as you bring your stress levels down,” she says. “This isn’t about pretending everything’s great, but rather looking at easy habits you can adopt that will take down the stress, which can lead to anxiety and burnout.” 3. Don’t smoke Quitting smoking is an essential step in improving health and potentially adding years to your life. Trice points out that while some people may think reaching for a cigarette takes the edge off their stress, there are healthier ways to cope. “Maybe going running or taking up yoga could be the release and focus you need, and one that will help you live longer, smell fresher and feel better,” she suggests. “Also, with the cost of cigarettes going up all the time, giving up will free up cash for the things in life that really need to be paid for.”If you are struggling to quit smoking, talk to your GP about options available to help. 4. Don’t binge drink“By cutting down on booze, you’re doing your body and brain a massive favour,” says Trice. “Drinking every night will impact your body and could affect your sleep and work performance. Enjoy life, but if you want to enjoy it for longer, then keep tabs on your drinking.” Official guidelines suggest drinking no more than 14 units of alcohol a week (equivalent to six medium glasses of wine of six pints of beer), spread across at least three days. 5. Eat healthily Generally speaking, a balanced diet that’s rich in fibre, whole grains, fruit and veg and lean protein, with heavily processed and sugary foods kept to a minimum, is linked with better health. “We all know about eating five-a-day but doing this can be tough if you’re busy with family and work. If you can start to do this, you’ll feel better,” says Trice. “Focus on eating regularly and thinking about what you put in your body, so that it works for you, not against you.” 6. Don’t take drugsRecreational drugs can harm health in a number of ways. Trice suggests those affected start by speaking to a trusted friend or their GP, and “look at the support which could not only extend your life, but save it”. 7. Try to get good sleep Trice says: “It’s vital that we look at getting a decent night’s sleep, as this can help you feel so much better. Making sure you have a sleep routine in place can be helpful and can be as easy as having no screens in the bedroom, having a bath or shower before you hit the sack, as well as making sure the temperature is right and you have curtains to keep the light out in the mornings.” 8. Nurture positive social relationshipsTrice observes: “If you’re able to nurture a supportive network of friends, colleagues and family, this can lead to improved mental and emotional wellbeing and a longer life.” Lacking social connections? Look at local volunteering opportunities and community walks and groups. Making friends can take time, but even finding ways to regularly spend time and interact with others can help. 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Mariella Frostrup said she looks forward to a future where women “stop feeling so ashamed” of their bodies. The broadcaster, author and former Observer agony aunt, who has been known for her work as a menopause campaigner over recent years, also said “the world is not changing fast enough” when it comes to awareness and support for women’s health experiences. “[There has been] centuries of misinformation and misunderstanding that’s gone on around menopause. You have to look to history to see where we’ve ended up – and then in a more optimistic vein, look forward to a future where women gradually stop feeling so ashamed,” Frostrup, 60, told the PA news agency. “I mean, everything to do with women’s bodies has been a source of shame. I remember as a teenager, I was hiding my Tampax underneath cereal packets when I went to the shops to buy them, because I was so ashamed of the fact I was having a period. “You look at young people today, and I just love it when young women will announce to a roomful of people, ‘Oh, I’m on my period’. That is a great indication of the sort of liberation we need to experience around our bodies.” Frostrup, who wrote an advice column for the Observer for a decade and joined Times Radio as a presenter in 2020, co-authored the 2021 book Cracking The Menopause and is chair of the Menopause Mandate collective, whose aim is to ‘revolutionise’ the support and advice women receive through their midlife health challenges and beyond. She has now teamed up with Always Discreet on a campaign highlighting bladder leakage. Despite affecting around half of women, many (50%) are unaware this can be a common symptom of menopause, according to a survey by the brand. Of those who do experience bladder leaks during menopause, the poll (of 1,200 women) also found more than 50% are not sure they would want to discuss it with anyone, with some (19%) citing embarrassment as the reason. Frostrup, who has a teenage son and daughter with husband, lawyer Jason McCue, is keen to highlight, however, that bladder leakage is often one of the menopause symptoms women can effectively self-manage – through pelvic floor exercise. These are simple exercises that involve squeezing the muscles around the pelvis, bladder and vaginal area. The campaign sees Frostrup and TV medic Dr Philippa Kaye encouraging women to ‘Squeeze the Day’ every day, with daily pelvic floor exercises. “It’s something a lot of women live with, a lot of women don’t talk about, and a lot of women feel ashamed about – but it is actually something you can tackle, when there’s so many other symptoms women struggle to obtain treatment for,” said Frostrup. “Here’s something you can personally take agency of, and do your pelvic floor exercises. “My mum, weirdly – and I have no idea why, because I was a teenager in the Seventies – was very vocal about the need to do pelvic floor exercises. I think probably back then, it was more to do with childbirth and making that a bit easier in the future, but I was lucky in a way, as it’s something I’ve had an understanding about – although I’m still practicing how to do them without raising my eyebrows,” she added, laughing. “With so many of these things, you need a bit of levity as well. Obviously, [bladder leakage] is not the most pleasant thing – but it’s not the end of the world, and you can prevent it and actually make a difference if you’re already suffering.” Frostrup is certain that lack of awareness and support around menopause has made it “so much more difficult” for those affected, and that there’s still work to be done. “I think for an awful long time, our ignorance around the subject has made the transition through perimenopause and menopause so much more difficult,” she said. “The discovery that one in two women are going to suffer from bladder leaks – that’s an astounding proportion, particularly when you look at it as just one of 50 symptoms around menopause that women are unaware of. “I think there’s an issue in that menopause is now presented as something everybody knows about – ‘yada, yada, why is it still being talked about? You’ve got everything you wanted, now get on with it’ – and I think that’s absolutely not the case,” Frostrup continued. “Based on the thousands of women who’ve written to us at Menopause Mandate and talked to us about their symptoms, the treatment, the support they’ve been able to access, their experiences in the workplace and so on. What’s clear is that the world is not changing fast enough for these disenfranchised women. “We don’t want to rest on our laurels and just think, ‘Oh, everything’s fine now’. We’re still at base level – we’ve still got Everest to climb, when it comes to just recognition and support for women.” Mariella Frostrup has partnered with Always Discreet on their ‘Squeeze the Day, Every Day’ missions. Find out more about pelvic floor exercises via the Always Discreet Menopause Hub. (Speak to your GP if you are concerned about bladder leakage).

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