You Reduce Your Longevity With These Five Daily Habits According to a 30-Year-Long Harvard Study

A potrait of a woman in the park. — Photo by Andrea Piacquadioon Pexels

You already know the power of habits. The good ones will make your life easy while the bad ones will set you on the path of destruction.

You need to let go of the old bad habits and then focus on developing new good habits. But alas it’s difficult to let go of short-term gratification, as we are being trained to seek out gratification every second.

But this addiction to instant gratification can lead to horrendous health habits that can cut your life short by a decade or even more.

This 30-year Harvard study found that these five habits increase your chance of an early death.

So, don’t force yourself to make good habits instead focus on getting rid of these five habits first.

1. The Ultimate Demise of Your Good Health

No workout program will help you unless you fix your diet. It’s the most basic healthy habit you need to live a quality life. Nothing is possible without it.

There’s no point in getting lost in the sea of information online instead adopt the best proven diet for longevity.

Mideterrean diet has been hailed as the number one diet for better lifespan and healthspan, so try to adopt it in your life little by little. It’s not difficult to follow and you won’t have to spend thousands of dollars to practice it.

Eat more fish and less processed meats.
Make fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds your new snacks.
Eat whole grains and legumes daily instead of refined grains.
Consume poultry, eggs, dairy, and red wine in moderation
Avoid red meat, fast food, sugary beverages, and alcohol.

Build a better diet one change at a time. These five changes will improve your quality of life by making you healthier.

Make these simple changes in your diet to improve your healthspan. You don’t need to make them all at once instead, start small by taking a fruit as a snack to work.

It’s easier to form better eating habits than giving up the bad ones. I have successfully shifted to one cheat meal a week to reduce the consumption of junk food while fulfilling my cravings.

2. The Safest Bet to Boost Your Longevity

We were born in a great time because our civilization is thriving right now. The advancement in science can make the myth of mortality a reality.

Scientists are researching the tools that can boost your longevity easily and according to them, exercise is the indisputable way to do so.

It’s simple the more you sweat the longer you’ll live. This study found that 2.5 hours of exercise every week is enough to boost your lifespan by 4.5 years.

You don’t need to run a marathon to boost longevity, moderate-intensity exercise can help you get these benefits easily.

But it’s difficult to form an exercise habit. I have been working out for more than 8 years now and it’s still hard. You need to make it s top priority or you’ll never be able to follow through.

I have a sedentary job that requires me to sit for more than 8 hours every day, so I have made it a rule to exercise every morning even if only for 20 minutes.

Some I am able to do a full-fledged workout but on most days I do a 20-minute HIIT or strength training YouTube workout. It’s fast and effective.

It could be challenging to take time out of a busy morning routine so you can wind down after work with these easy hacks.

Watch Netflix while taking a walk.
Take your bike to work for a fun commute.
Go for a walk under the night sky and delve into the beauty of nature.

Even half amount of the recommended exercise can boost longevity by a year. So, start today to build up an exercise routine that you can follow every day for better longevity.

3. Don’t Throw This Out If You Want Better Longevity

Weight fluctuations are a part of life, you can try your hardest but the five pounds of Christmas will find its way onto your belly.

Nowadays social media perpetuates the idea that one’s weight is not a real indicator of their health, but according to this 30-year study, you increase your chances of longevity by maintaining the same weight.

Small weight fluctuations are normal and you don’t need to worry about it, but abandoning the weighing scale because of an influencer is a bad idea.

A busy life is the norm in today’s economy. You are lucky if you can get work-free weekends. High pressured jobs bring a barrage of stress that can alter your cortisol production which is linked to weight gain.

Following a healthy diet and an exercise schedule can help you decrease stress. But you need to be aware of your weight to make these lifestyle changes.

Delusion will not only harm your health but also be a roadblock in your fitness journey. You will rue the day when these lies shatter, you’ll regret wasting so much time and wish you had taken your health seriously.

Weight management is an effective strategy that can help you keep your health and fitness in check. You don’t need to weigh yourself daily, instead check your weight once a week to get a general idea of your health.

4. You reduce longevity because of this vice

Bitching about your boss after work at the bar with your colleagues is the perfect way to end a hectic workday.

But it’s a big problem if days like these get too frequent. It’s hard to avoid alcohol because it’s everywhere at conferences, art shows, comedy clubs, and almost all social outings.

And then there’s the pressure to not be a party pooper, you want to abstain but you also want people to like you, so you agree to only one drink, and before you realize it you are doing tequila shots with strangers.

Excess alcohol consumption puts you at a greater risk of dementia, stroke, and liver failure. It even puts you at risk for many cancers.

So, party hard but in spirit. You need to monitor your alcohol consumption vigilantly. It will help you live a long life and avoid god knows how many hangovers.

So drink in moderation to boost your chances of longevity.

5. This Habit Can Reduce Your Life By A Decade

Alcohol is still an acceptable drug that if consumed occasionally boosts your health and longevity.

But cigarette smoking is an evil habit that will poison your good health indefinitely. The warning is clear as a day on the pack itself, but you still can’t help buy it.

Nicotine is a powerful drug that changes the way your brain functions, it’s so enticing that you succumb to its craving sooner than later.

It’ll cause nothing but pain and suffering in the long run. Mouth cancer and lung cancer are the two main effects of this vile habit.

My uncle now has a robotic voice box and a hole in his throat because of Laryngeal cancer. It’s a horrific reality of what decades of smoking can do to your body.

So, suffice it to say I have never touched a cigarette in my life, I am even scared of secondhand smoke.

But I have friends who struggle to quit smoking. They always relapse at the slightest trigger, it’s a struggle. But many people have given up smoking for good.

You just need to find your “why”, the stronger the “why” the easier the “how” will get.

Conclusion

Good habits are hard to form but bad habits are even more harder to give up. But you first need to mend these bad habits if you want the best effect of good healthy habits.

It will be challenging but you can give them up one by one easily with practice and dedication.

So, boost your longevity today by giving up these terrible habits.