Aging is natural and while we can’t do anything to stop getting older, it turns out, we do have some influence over how it feels. Research shows that it’s possible to feel years and possibly even decades younger by making some simple lifestyle changes.
Want to feel like you’re in your 20s again, but with all the wisdom you’ve learned along the way? Here’s what doctors recommend:
- Get enough sleep - When you’re 20, you don’t worry about sleep because it comes so easily. But chances are, you’re getting less shut eye than when you were 20 and that stresses the body and is linked to an increased risk for conditions including heart disease, obesity and type 2 diabetes. So try to get those seven to nine hours of quality sleep every night.
- Take a 10-minute run - One study finds that older adults who have exercised for decades are almost 30 years younger, biologically, than their chronological ages and have muscles like people in their 20s. And the best part? It doesn’t take a lot of working out to get those results. Research shows just a 10-minute run can boost brain function and mood.
- Don’t forget the fiber - According to a new study that followed 35-hundred Japanese adults for over 30 years, those who eat diets higher in fiber have a lower risk of developing dementia.
- Stress less - Not only does stress feel terrible when you’re dealing with it, it also ages you. A recent Yale University study finds prolonged stress can actually speed up biological aging, as well as raise the risk for obesity, heart disease and diabetes.
Source: Eat This, Not That
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