5 Low-Cost Ways to Live Longer and Happier

In today’s day and age, it’s almost impossible to go through your Instagram feed without seeing ripped personal trainers flaunting their toned arms and abs while eating a bowl of Caesar Pecan salad telling you to get off the couch and prioritize your health.

Most of us respond to this with, “I don’t have the time”, or “I don’t have the money”, or just plain defeat: “I can’t do it.”

‘Physical fitness’ and ‘healthy lifestyle’ have become two of the most used buzzwords on the internet and over the years has become a multimillion dollar industry. Admit it honey, we’ve all at one point cashed out our hard-earned coin on monthly gym subscriptions (which in reality is only worth the two sessions we showed up for) all in want of a longer and happier life by being physically fit.

But living longer and happier does not only mean hitting the gym or learning all the yoga poses. It’s an overall lifestyle change. It’s substituting your unhealthy habits for healthier ones and following through with it.

Here are 5 ways to get you started with your journey to living longer and happier:

1. Eat healthier food

Yes, that bag of Cheetos at the supermarket is looking tempting. But the simple truth is – it’s bad for you. The easiest way to live longer is to eat the right kind of food. Keep in mind this basic rule of thumb: 80% of what you eat should be fresh from nature – unprocessed, unpackaged, plucked from your garden kind of thing. Substitute your McDonald fries with real potatoes, roasted in your home oven, sprinkled with salt. Now that’s real food.

2. Get enough sleep

You want to succeed in life, right? However, overworking yourself to the wee hours of the morning finishing that report isn’t the way to go. A good night’s sleep is crucial to maintaining your body’s optimal function. Sleeping less than 5 hours per night may even decrease your life expectancy by as much as 15 percent. Set a time-for-bed-reminder, turn the lights off and get a full 7 or 8 hours of shut-eye every night.

3. Quit smoking NOW.

If you haven’t heard this enough already, we’re telling you again. Quit smoking now. If you have already, keep it up – best decision you’ve made. If you haven’t, you can expect to die 7 years sooner than the average person. We think that’s a good enough reason to throw those cigarette butts to the ground and walk away. Never look back.

4. Stay physically active.

Let’s face it – our bodies were built for activity. Exercise DOES help you live longer and stay happier. No, it’s not another gym or Pilates club membership. We’re talking about at least 15-20 minutes of brisk walking towards your favorite bakery in the afternoon every day, or climbing up and down the stairs to your kids’ bedrooms for the same amount of time. And here’s another reason to stay motivated: a study published in the June 2012 issue of the Journal of Labor Research found that people who exercise on a regular basis make 9 percent more in salary than their sedentary counterparts. Invest in your health!

5. Be social.

We are social creatures – or else Facebook wouldn’t have been an internet giant. Socializing is an essential part of living a long and healthy life – even for introverts. But don’t just settle for socializing through a screen. Plan a lunch date with a friend you haven’t seen in months, or participate in your local community workshops. Get out there and interact with others who add joy to your life – as much as you do for them.

Explore more ways to live longer and happier at Lifehack.org.

That’s it. 5 ways to live longer and happier. These are things you probably already know, but we thought it’d be a good reminder. Whatever state of health you are in, it’s never too late to begin.

To get you started, let’s ask the question: “How healthy are you?” Find out by taking this short quiz. Take a screenshot and share your results in the comments below! 

Try this quiz:

Quiz source: https://www.mirror.co.uk/interactives/how-healthy-you-actually-find-12499758