While it’s impossible to stop the clock, certain lifestyle changes can help you stay sharp, fit and healthy as you age.
For starters—and we all know this one—try to exercise almost every day. Research shows that people who keep active during their free time may be biologically younger than their couch-potato counterparts, who are more prone to aging-related conditions like heart disease, diabetes, cancer, high blood pressure and osteoporosis.
Also essential to healthy aging are plenty of antioxidant-rich fruits and veggies—it can protect against what’s known as oxidative stress, or the free-radical-induced damage that is known to speed up the aging process.
A number of studies suggest that chronic stress can harm certain structures in your cells—and, in turn, trigger a host of aging-related troubles (from wrinkles and weakening of eyesight to loss of memory and muscle strength). In addition to taking time to wind down each day, make sure to log about eight hours of sleep each night. Research indicates that people who get sufficient sleep are more likely to achieve “successful aging,” while skimping on slumber may wreak havoc on hormones involved in the aging process.
What’s more, there’s some evidence that maintaining a positive attitude may shield some parts of the brain from the harsh effects of aging.
