There is no silver bullet for living longer, says Dan Buettner, a fellow National Geographic journalist and journalist who studies the habits of people living in the “blue zones,” which are the places in the world where people live longer. . Places are: Okinawa, Japan; Sardinia, Italy; Nicoya, Costa Rica; Ikaria, Greece, and Loma Linda, California.
But making small changes to your daily routine (from how you spend lunch time to keeping in touch with your friends) can make a big difference in the long run, Buettner told CNBC Make It.
Especially during the Covid pandemic, as most people’s lives have changed drastically, here are the top three blue zone habits that Buettner says are important to start with now.
You have 3 friends you can count on
Famous Harvard research has shown that people who maintain close relationships live longer than those who are isolated.
“If you are socially disconnected, [or] if you don’t have three friends with whom you can count on a bad day, it will shave you about eight years out of your life expectancy, compared to someone who is well connected, ”Buettner says.
During the pandemic, even video calls can have a positive effect: “If the conversation has emotional content, it counts,” he says.
“In the days before the covidity, we would take a break for lunch and often go out to eat with a partner,” he says. Since this is not possible for many people during the pandemic, suggest a half-day video call with someone you are interested in. “Make that part of your daily routine,” he says.
Take a walk that mimics your daily commute
There is a lot of research that supports the effort to avoid the risk of illness and death, but you don’t need an exercise bike or a home gym to reap the benefits.
“People in the blue zones walk every day and reach 100 without all the other running gear and shows being,” Buettner says.
People who commute to work and have to walk to a bus or train station have a lower risk of developing cardiovascular problems. If you work remotely and are more sedentary than usual, walk around the block that mimics morning and night commutes, Buettner says. Leave your sneakers or running shoes on the front door “to constantly remind you to wear them,” he says.
Walking during the pandemic is an easy way to exercise safely outdoors and also to relate to someone outside your home. Dr. Anthony Fauci has said he walks motorized at 3.5 miles a day to de-stress after work.
Studies have shown that walking increases your creativity, improves your memory and even helps you sleep.
Take a 20-minute nap
Taking short naps in the mid-afternoon is common in many regions of the blue zones, Buettner says.
“People who report napping for at least 20 minutes, five days a week, have about a third lower percentage of heart disease than people who only do motors all day,” he says.
After a nap, she usually feels sharper and has lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol, Buettner says. Over time, regular diapers also have less inflammation in the body, he adds. (Chronic inflammation is associated with several diseases).
The key to avoiding discomfort is to take a nap for only 20 minutes, according to the National Sleep Foundation. If you work from home, take a nap during your lunch break; this could improve your performance. Studies suggest that short power naps can increase job performance by up to 34% and improve alertness by 54%.
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