Authored by Brendon Fallon and Emily Allison via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

We all want to live as long and as healthily as possible. Many healthy living hacks, such as lounging in a hot sauna or taking a cold plunge, claim to increase lifespan, but how effective are they?

Growing research points to a different answer, suggesting that a few simple, consistent lifestyle habits can be far more effective at boosting longevity and well-being.

Avoid Smoking, Drugs, and Drinking Excessive Alcohol

Referring to a 2024 study examining nearly 720,000 U.S. veterans ages 40 to 99, Dr. Damon Noto, a rehabilitation medicine specialist, stated on the Epoch TV show Vital Signs that among eight lifestyle factors found to influence a person’s lifespan by more than 10 years, the most significant are whether a person has smoked, had an opioid use disorder, and their level of physical activity.

Eat Healthy and Stay Active

We know exercise is a healthy habit, but do we consider it life-saving? Noto said the veteran’s study shows exercise may add as much as a decade or more to our lives. He also examined the type of physical activity in the study. People in the study often stayed active by engaging in natural movement, such as gardening or participating in sports with their friends. He believes these lifestyle or social activities are especially beneficial because building physical activity into someone’s daily life can help a person stay consistent with moving the body. 

Diet can also impact a person’s lifespan. Those living in blue zones tend to eat homegrown and home-cooked foods and avoid overeating. Those who ate highly processed foods and sweets had shorter lifespans than those who followed a nutritious diet, according to the same study.

Live With Purpose and Be Part of a Community

Noto highlights a social component of longevity. Research suggests that individuals who have friends and a sense of community tend to live longer than those who are lonely or isolated.

“A lot of these studies have shown that people who have purpose, especially purpose greater than themselves, not only live longer, but they live happier lives and more successful lives,” said Noto. “So purpose is something we found to be extremely important.” 

Noto points out that those in blue zones tend to place family and faith as a high priority in their culture.

Manage Stress

Noto said that all those with longer lifespans had some way to deal with stress in their regular routines, whether it was socializing with friends, taking walks, praying, or working around the house. 

Be Conscientious 

 The Longevity Project, which began in the 1920s, followed 1,500 Americans with high IQs from childhood to death. Initially, it was thought that because these children were intelligent, they would succeed and do well in life, but that was not the case.

The study showed that the more conscientious a person was, the longer they lived. Character qualities such as discipline, hard work, organization, thoughtful decisions, and a sense of responsibility greatly influences success in life.

Get Quality Sleep

Sleep impacts the length of a person’s life. Getting enough REM sleep is crucial to adding years to your life.

Noto recommends getting a sleep-tracking device to ensure you get the proper sleep quality. Those who suffer from chronic anxiety or sleep apnea were shown to have shorter lifespans. However, he also emphasizes the body’s ability to do amazing things, even under stress. He believes that having a sense of purpose helps through times of stress or low sleep, and significantly impacts a person’s health and life. 

Watch “8 Habits of Long Life” on Vital Signs here.