These eight healthy habits can significantly extend your life

(Patria) - What are those magical healthy habits that can extend your life?

Nothing you haven't heard before - exercise, eat healthy, reduce stress, sleep well and nurture positive social relationships.

On the other hand, don't smoke, don't drink too much, and don't become addicted to opioids.

- The sooner, the better, but even if you make just a small change in your 40s, 50s, or 60s, it is still beneficial.

It is not unattainable - it is actually something that is available to the general population - says the lead author of the study, Xuan-Mai Nguyen.

The study was presented at the annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition called "Nutrition 2023".

Adopting just one healthy behavior added 3.5 years to a woman's life, while two added eight years, three added 12.6 years, and adopting all healthy habits extended a woman's life by 22.6 years.

The study managed to rank eight lifestyle behaviors to see which provide the biggest boost in longevity, reports ljepotaizdravlje.hr.

Exercise

First on the list was physical exercise, which many experts say is one of the most important behaviors anyone can do to improve their health.

As stated, one healthy behavior led to a 46 percent reduction in the risk of death from any cause compared to those who did not exercise.

No addiction

Not becoming addicted to opioids was the second most important contributor to a longer life, reducing the risk of early death by 38 percent, the research showed.

Quitting smoking (not using tobacco)

Not smoking tobacco reduces the risk of death by 29 percent, the research says. If a person was a former smoker, that does not count.

However, quitting smoking at any point in life brings great health benefits, experts believe.

Stress management

Managing stress reduces premature death by 22 percent, the research showed.

Also, there are ways to change your perspective and turn bad stress into good stress.

Plant-based diet

A diet of plant-based foods would increase your chances of a longer life by 21 percent, the research highlights.

- But that does not mean you have to be a vegetarian or vegan - said Nguyen.

The key was following a healthy plant-based plan such as the Mediterranean diet full of whole grains and leafy green vegetables.

Avoiding alcohol

Avoiding excessive drinking, meaning consuming more than four alcoholic drinks per day - was another healthy lifestyle habit, reducing the risk of death by 19 percent.

Good sleep

Good sleep - defined as at least seven to nine hours a night without insomnia - reduced premature death from any cause by 18 percent.

Positive social relationships

Being surrounded by positive social relationships helped longevity by five percent, the research stated.

However, loneliness and isolation, especially among older adults, are becoming increasingly widespread and concerning, experts claim.