The folks at Business Insider have published these Five Healthy Habits Take Only 5 Minutes or Less and could Add Years to Your life. Who doesn’t want to do that? Especially knowing that these can all be done in a short period of time and pay dividends for years to come.
An expert on longevity listed some quick daily habits that could add years to your life: Habit stacking . . . micro-meditations . . . five-minute workouts . . . and taking a few minutes to check in on people you care about.
Live Longer in 5 Easy Minutes
It almost sounds too good to be true, but this is really exciting news. You can do these simple things easily and fit them into your daily routine. How about all the long grueling workouts that we thought were necessary to achieve a better longevity? We are told that pain was gain and no sweat meant no good. Finding five minutes in your day to add these routines to your day could extend your lifespan by years.
The good news is, these 5 Healthy Habits that only take 5 minutes or less that could add years to your life are not just about physical activities. There’s more to living a long life than just working out. You have to work on yourself in other ways to achieve these goals.
Having friends and a social network is just as important
Part of the goal of living a longer life is to share with others. This doesn’t mean you have to be married (although studies suggest that happy couples live longer than then their single friends on average), you can live a long healthy life as a happy single person too. What matters is you have a good social network of friends, family and co-workers. Being alone and or lonely is one of the markers for a shorter lifespan. So, getting out and together with people is a very important and crucial part of extending your lifespan, and it’s will make living longer more fun and worth living.
Here are the Five Healthy Habits
1. Habit Stacking
Starting a new habit is hard. But adding a new habit onto an existing one is easier. You could add mindfulness to your morning coffee routine, or practice gratitude as you brush your teeth.2. Micro-meditations
Checking in with yourself doesn’t need to take long. A simple technique is focusing on your breath as you inhale for a count of four . . . hold for a count of seven . . . and exhale for a count of eight.
3. Five-minute workouts
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Research shows even short bursts of regular exercise can help keep you young. Take a break from work and do some squats or wall sits, or take a brisk walk. It can improve your whole day.
4. Social interaction
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Instead of scrolling aimlessly at night, reach out to a few people you care about. Connecting with friends can raise your levels of the “feel-good” hormone oxytocin, which has anti-inflammatory effects.
5. Remember what matters.
Having a sense of purpose is linked to a longer life. So spend a few minutes a day thinking about what your passions are. It can “not only add more years to your life, but more life to your years.”
