\n \u201cThese findings highlight the importance of considering lifestyle behaviors as a <\/strong>package rather than in isolation,\u201d said lead study author Nick Koemel, a research fellow in physical activity, lifestyle and population health at the University of Syndey\u2019s main campus in Camperdown, Australia.\n <\/p>\n \n \u201cBy targeting small improvements across multiple behaviors simultaneously, the required change for any single behavior is substantially reduced, which may help overcome common barriers to long-term behavior change,\u201d Koemel said in an email.\n <\/p>\n \n READ MORE:<\/strong> Can\u2019t sleep? Take steps to <\/strong>improve your sleep hygiene<\/strong><\/a>, which boosts health.<\/strong>\n <\/p>\n \n However, that finding is far from conclusive, said Kevin McConway, professor emeritus of applied statistics at the Open University in Milton Keynes, United Kingdom, who was not involved in the study.\n <\/p>\n \n \u201cA snag is that the paper uses complicated statistical methods that are not always described clearly,\u201d McConway said in an email. \u201cIt\u2019s therefore difficult to tell to what extent the findings have emerged from the researchers\u2019 choice of statistical analyses, rather than things that are clearer from the data.\u201d\n <\/p>\n \n Using scientific modeling, Koemel and his team found combining as little as five additional minutes of sleep, two minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity (such as brisk walking<\/a> or taking the stairs), and an additional \u00bd cup of vegetables a day might lengthen life by a year.\n <\/p>\n \n However, this predicted outcome was only for people who had an extremely poor diet, slept less than six hours per night<\/a> and only exercised about seven minutes a day. In addition, it wasn\u2019t until the model\u2019s lifestyle improvements greatly increased that the results became scientifically significant.\n <\/p>\n \n \u201cAll of the gains reported in this study are theoretical,\u201d Koemel said. \u201cWe cannot claim a direct causal effect from the lifestyle patterns. These findings should therefore be interpreted as expected or projected benefits under assumed behavioral variations, rather than confirmed effects of an intervention.\u201d\n <\/p>\n \n The greatest gain in longevity \u2014 9.35 years \u2014 and health span <\/strong>\u2014 9.46 years \u2014 came with the combination of an addition of 42 to 103 minutes of exercise and sleeping between seven and eight hours<\/a> a day, while also eating an extremely healthy diet that included fish, whole grains, vegetables and fruits.\n <\/p>\n \n Adding exercise to the mix moved the longevity needle the most \u2014 a fact that did not surprise preventive cardiologist Dr. Andrew Freeman, director of cardiovascular prevention and wellness at National Jewish Health in Denver.\n <\/p>\n \n \u201cExercise is the elixir of youth,\u201d said Freeman, who was not involved in the study. \u201cBut let me be clear \u2014 this study should not be interpreted as exercising for exactly two minutes and stop, you\u2019ve accomplished a goal.\n <\/p>\n \n \u201cRather, you should aim to get 20 to 30 minutes of brisk, breathless physical activity<\/a>, combining strength and cardio in every day. That advice has not changed over decades of study.\u201d\n <\/p>\n \n READ MORE: Want to start moving? Check out this guidance to <\/strong>ease into walking<\/strong><\/a>.<\/strong>\n <\/p>\n \n The study, published Wednesday<\/a> in the journal eClinicalMedicine, looked at almost 60,000 participants from England, Scotland and Wales in the UK Biobank<\/a>, a longitudinal health study, who were followed for an average of eight years. Everyone in the study provided information on their diet \u2014 including ultraprocessed foods, such as sugar-sweetened beverages. A subset of the group also wore wrist watches that provided more objective measurements of movement and sleep.\n <\/p>\n \n Researchers gathered this medical data and used it to form theoretical scenarios of improved longevity and health span, which was defined as the number of years free of cardiovascular disease<\/a>, dementia<\/a>, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and type 2 diabetes.<\/a>\n <\/p>\n \n Enjoying a longer life and a longer health span, or remaining free of disease, aren\u2019t the same thing, Koemel said. \u201cCombined improvements in sleep, physical activity, and diet were associated with longer lifespans, even if people still developed some chronic conditions later in life.\u201d\n <\/p>\n \n READ MORE: Want to improve your diet? Instead of making drastic changes, you can ease into the <\/strong>Mediterranean diet<\/strong><\/a>.<\/strong>\n <\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/gettyimages-2234702079.jpg\")
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