{"id":115169,"date":"2025-05-19T19:54:13","date_gmt":"2025-05-19T19:54:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/115169\/"},"modified":"2025-05-19T19:54:13","modified_gmt":"2025-05-19T19:54:13","slug":"want-to-live-to-115-heres-what-research-says-you-should-do","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/115169\/","title":{"rendered":"Want to Live to 115? Here\u2019s What Research Says You Should Do"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Summary:\u00a0<\/strong>New insights from longevity research suggest that lifestyle, not just genetics, plays a vital role in living a longer, healthier life. While rare individuals like 115-year-old Ethel Caterham may benefit from exceptional genes, research shows that physical activity, diet, sleep, and stress management are key factors that can significantly influence lifespan.<\/p>\n<p>Studies link even modest exercise and plant-forward diets to increased life expectancy, while poor sleep and chronic stress can shorten it. Though we can\u2019t control our genetics, these findings highlight daily habits that can help stack the odds in our favor.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Key Facts:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Movement Matters:<\/strong> Just 75 minutes of brisk walking per week can add two years to your life.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Healthy Diets Promote Aging Well:<\/strong> Diets rich in plants, whole grains, and healthy fats are linked to disease-free aging.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Social Connection Counts:<\/strong> Older adults with daily social interaction are 3x more likely to live five more years.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong>The Conversation<\/p>\n<p><strong>A 115-year-old Surrey woman named Ethel Caterham has officially been handed the title of the\u00a0oldest living human alive.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Many people reading this news may wonder what Caterham\u2019s secret is.<\/p>\n<p>  <img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"799\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/longevity-habits-neuroscience.jpg\" alt=\"This shows older ladies.\"  \/> Although it\u2019s hard to tease out the role of genetics versus lifestyle when it comes to lifespan, current predictions suggest that longevity is between 20-40% related to genetics. Credit: Neuroscience News<\/p>\n<p>While it isn\u2019t usually a good idea to take health and longevity advice from supercentenarians (as they\u2019re often the exception rather than the rule), there are some lifestyle pointers that we can take from research on groups of long-lived people that might help us increase our chances of living a longer life.<\/p>\n<p>1. Physical activity<\/p>\n<p>Physical activity is good for you \u2013 who knew? Research shows that people who are more physically active each day\u00a0tend to live longer, healthier lives.<\/p>\n<p>One study found that going from no physical activity to about 75 minutes per week of brisk walking increased life expectancy by\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/23139642\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">about two years<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>But perhaps less well known is just how bad inactivity is for your health and longevity. It\u2019s a tad difficult to explain, but the positive effects of exercise are actually different from the negative effects of inactivity.<\/p>\n<p>That means that you can have a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC3419586\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">positive influence on your health<\/a>\u00a0by being both more active and avoiding being inactive.<\/p>\n<p>Yet as good as structured exercise is for you, it can\u2019t by itself offset the harms of inactivity and sitting all day. Research even shows that being sedentary is associated with\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/38410939\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">higher risk of premature death<\/a>\u00a0from any cause.<\/p>\n<p>If you want to live longer, you should try to avoid sitting for long periods of time if possible.\u00a0Practical tips for this\u00a0include standing up every 30 minutes, going to see someone in the office instead of calling or emailing them and standing on public transport during commuting.<\/p>\n<p>This, plus the\u00a0aim to do about 30 minutes moderate exercise most days\u00a0will help maximise your odds of a long, healthy life.<\/p>\n<p>2. Eat your veggies<\/p>\n<p>The advice many kids dread: eat your vegetables if you want to live a long time.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/40128348\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">A recent study<\/a>\u00a0that followed around 100,000 people over a 30 year period found that people who made it to 70 years of age in good health (meaning they had no chronic diseases) typically ate more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and legumes, and fewer trans-fats, red or processed meats, fried foods and sugary foods.<\/p>\n<p>Importantly, this study doesn\u2019t say that you must be a vegan, or never eat red meats \u2013 it only identifies trends within diets associated with healthy ageing.<\/p>\n<p>When and how much you eat may also play a role when it comes to ageing. Research on caloric restriction and intermittent fasting in animals has shown both can increase lifespan.<\/p>\n<p>Our preliminary work in humans has also shown that following a fasting diet for three weeks can cause\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC10650498\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">similar, positive metabolic shifts<\/a>\u00a0that match what we\u2019ve seen in animals that will live longer. However, larger studies over longer time-frames are needed to establish effects on healthspan and lifespan in humans.<\/p>\n<p>3. Sleep<\/p>\n<p>Regular, good quality sleep is also important for\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/37831896\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">lifelong health and overall longevity<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>In a study of about 500,000 British people, irregular sleep patterns were associated with a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/37995126\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">50% higher risk of early death<\/a>\u00a0compared to those with regular sleep patterns.<\/p>\n<p>Shift workers showed higher risk for strokes, and nurses who worked rotating shifts for decades were\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC9069254\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">less healthy and had earlier deaths<\/a>\u00a0at retirement compared to nurses who didn\u2019t work shifts.<\/p>\n<p>While this data suggests that good quality, regular sleep is important for good health, how much sleep you need and when you should go to bed\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC8063933\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">appears to be highly individualistic<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>This makes giving population-wide recommendations difficult \u2013 which is why the NHS recommends adults get between\u00a07-9 hours sleep.<\/p>\n<p>4. Stress<\/p>\n<p>Stress has many effects on your health.<\/p>\n<p>For instance, increasing evidence shows that early-life stressors (such as loss of a parent, neglect or abuse) can negatively affect health later in life \u2013 even down to a molecular and cellular level by\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/karger.com\/nim\/article\/32\/1\/24\/916732\/A-Brief-Historic-Review-of-Research-on-Early-Life\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">increasing inflammation levels<\/a>\u00a0in ways that could increase the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC6146930\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">risk of poor health and premature death in older age<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Conversely, older adults that show increased psychological resilience to stress are\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/39054517\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">less likely to die from any cause<\/a>. As little as eight weeks of regular yoga is enough to\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/37596549\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">improve psychological resilience<\/a>\u00a0in older adults.<\/p>\n<p>Possibly linked is the effect of social connections. Those that live more socially active lives also\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC11872968\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">tend to live longer<\/a>. In fact, people over 65 who are socially active daily are\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/jech.bmj.com\/content\/77\/5\/277\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">three times more likely<\/a>\u00a0to live for five more years compared to those that almost never engage in social activities.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s a common finding that strong social networks appear to\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC8473615\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">enhance longevity<\/a>. This may be due to the way social connections help us alleviate stressors in our lives.<\/p>\n<p>The role of genetics<\/p>\n<p>While there are many lifestyle habits we can change, one thing we can\u2019t control when it comes to our lifespans is genetics. Some research suggests that naturally-occurring mutations in genes associated with longevity are\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/20868776\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">more common in long-lived people<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Although it\u2019s hard to tease out the role of genetics versus lifestyle when it comes to lifespan, current predictions suggest that longevity is\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/16708071\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">between 20-40%<\/a>\u00a0related to\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/28689042\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">genetics<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>But good genetics aren\u2019t everything. Although Ethel Caterham has made it to the remarkable age of 115 \u2013 and one of her sisters lived to be 104 \u2013 Caterham\u2019s two daughters pre-deceased her at 71 and 83 years of age.<\/p>\n<p>And even if you do win the genetic jackpot and follow a good lifestyle, you would still be very lucky to make it to Caterham\u2019s grand old age of 115. Cells mutate, clots form, biological luck runs out.<\/p>\n<p>Still, if you want to maximise your odds of living longer and staying as healthy as possible, aim to be more physically active each day, eat a good diet, get a good night\u2019s sleep and keep stress levels low.<\/p>\n<p>About this longevity and aging research news<\/p>\n<p class=\"has-background\" style=\"background-color:#ffffe8\"><strong>Author: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/profiles\/bradley-elliott-1014864\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Bradley Elliott<\/a><br \/><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Conversation<\/a><br \/><strong>Contact: <\/strong>Bradley Elliott \u2013 The Conversation<br \/><strong>Image: <\/strong>The image is credited to Neuroscience News<\/p>\n<p> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/1747684453_101_count.gif\" alt=\"The Conversation\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\" style=\"border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\"\/>    <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Summary:\u00a0New insights from longevity research suggest that lifestyle, not just genetics, plays a vital role in living a&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":115170,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3846],"tags":[1152,215,372,1154,267,105,4716,219,220,70,11368,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-115169","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-genetics","8":"tag-aging","9":"tag-brain-research","10":"tag-diet","11":"tag-exercise","12":"tag-genetics","13":"tag-health","14":"tag-longevity","15":"tag-neurobiology","16":"tag-neuroscience","17":"tag-science","18":"tag-the-conversation","19":"tag-uk","20":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/114536255859842231","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/115169","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=115169"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/115169\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/115170"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=115169"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=115169"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=115169"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}