HOW TO LIVE TILL 100
DAVID ATTENBOROUGH, 91, THINKS HE WILL MAKE IT
ALTHOUGH they make up a very small proportion of the total UK population, the number of centenarians has grown rapidly from 7,750 in 2002 to 14,910 last year, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics. While improved medical treatments and diet, along with lower smoking rates can certainly account for greater life expectancy there are many other secrets to longevity. GET A PET Numerous studies have shown the health benefits of pet ownership. Caring for and stroking animals can reduce stress hormones such as cortisol, while also improving heart health by lowering blood pressure.
Taking the dog for a walk is good exercise, which is heavily linked to longer life. One study in Australia showed that pet owners make fewer visits to their doctor each year, suffer fewer difficulties sleeping and are less likely to be taking certain medicines. The introduction of a robotic seal, with realistic fur and an cute face, was found to reduce depression levels at Danish care homes. The added bonus was no mess on the carpet. TIE THE KNOT Walking down the aisle will help you live longer. Married couples live on average 15 per cent longer than singletons, research papers show, while those who get married and divorced still enjoy greater longevity than people who never tie the knot. Harvard researchers found that one reason is that married men and women are more likely to seek medical treatment for symptoms that turn out to be serious. Being nagged to go to the doctor helps you live longer.
“Marriage is like a seat belt when it comes to improving your wellbeing,” says Dr Linda Waite, a professor of sociology at the University of Chicago. Here, Office for National Statistics figures show that widowed men and single mothers suffer the poorest health. Other studies show that married couples are generally happier and experience less stress. They also tend to have better diets and are less likely to drink and smoke heavily – eliminating two of the biggest barriers to notching up the century in life. KEEP THE FAITH More than 1,000 studies have proved a link between religion and longevity. Scientists at the University of Iowa found those who attended religious services at least once a week lived on average five per cent longer than their faithless counterparts. It’s thought that the sense of community reduces stress, while being part of a congregation means there’s always someone keeping an eye on people who are under the weather.
Another study found that attending a church in middle age reduces mortality rates by up to 50 per cent. Violet Brown, of Jamaica, who was the world’s oldest person until her death aged 117 last month claimed following the 10 Commandments was the secret to her longevity. TROUBLE AND STRIFE People in relationships are more likely to thrive, but quality also counts. A 2014 study in the Journal of Epidemiology concluded that people who experienced frequent conflicts with their partners were twice as likely to die than those who rarely quarrelled. GIRL POWER Being born female increases your chances of living to 100. In nearly all countries women outlive men by about 10 per cent of average life span.
One reason is that the male hormone testosterone, which is associated with aggressive and competitive behaviour, is linked to early death through violence including war and accidents caused by risk-taking.
Meanwhile the female hormone oestrogen increases levels of healthy types of cholesterol. Scientists at the University of Warwick found that people who slept for less than six hours a night, or more than nine, were more likely to die young. A good night’s sleep is crucial for the body to repair itself, but too much may be a sign of an underlying illness. OWN PROPERTY In 2015, the University of Gothenburg in Sweden, studying the lifestyles of a group of centenarians, weren’t surprised to discover that staying slim and not smoking were keys to reaching the landmark. But they also found that people who lived longest were property owners who had paid off their mortgages by the age of 50. Dr Lars Wilhelmsen said: “They were all satisfied with their circumstances and pleased to be living where they were.” A DAILY TIPPLE? We all know about the benefits of exercise and a good diet but Agnes Fenton, who died at the ripe old age of 112 earlier this year, swore by three bottles of beer with a whisky chaser every day. Agnes, from Englewood, New Jersey, claimed she was given the unusual prescription by her doctor when she was diagnosed with a benign tumour in 1943. A SPOONFUL OF HONEY Bees give us one of nature’s superfoods, containing flavonoids and antioxidants, which help reduce the risk of some cancers and heart disease. Eating plenty of honey is one reason attributed to the Greek island of Ikaria being one of the so-called “Blue Zones” in the world where people are most likely to live longer and healthier lives. Here, on the small island in the Aegean Sea, residents live on average 10 per cent longer than most other western Europeans and it’s become known as “the place where people forget to die”. HAVE A SPRING CLEAN The secret of long life could be a tidy house. Clutter is not only bad for our physical wellbeing by breeding mould and bacteria but also plays havoc with our mental health, says David Tolin, founder of America’s Anxiety Disorder Centre, in Hartford, Connecticut. Having a messy home, and not being able to find anything, can weigh us down. In contrast tidying up can give us added purpose, while a vigorous session with the duster or vacuum cleaner is a great calorie burner helping us to stay slim. Marie Kondo, author of the best-selling book The LifeChanging Magic Of Tidying, advises we should only keep items that “spark joy” in us. GO TO WORK ON AN EGG Emma Morano, from Verbania, in Italy, who lived to the age of 117, attributed her longevity to eating two raw eggs every day and avoiding meat. Staying content as we get older is one way of improving our prospects of reaching 100. A study into ageing by University College London last year found that over-50s who were satisfied about their work, relationships and social lives had a better chance of reaching the landmark than their more miserable peers. Researchers at Yale University found that optimists live more than seven years longer than those who are gloomy or depressed. That’s just one more thing to worry about.