One dream that many humans seem to share is the desire to stay young, wild, and free forever! Unfortunately, that is not a possibility at this point in time. However, prolonging your lifespan and improving the quality of your time on Earth is possible. Thanks to modern science and extensive studies, we now know about and practice various longevity methods.
We are definitely on the right path to longevity, however, we have a long way to go. In this article, we will briefly go over why you may want to consider incorporating longevity/anti-ageing methods into your lifestyle! I will be referring to Japanese culture multiple times as they seem to have all the secrets to longevity. Nothing is more valuable than life itself. It is time we start acting like it and embrace this crazy path that our evolution has taken us on!
The importance of longevity:
Practising longevity will not only extend your lifespan, but it will also significantly increase your overall quality of life along the way. Many of us can agree that life is ‘too short’. In some areas of the world, increasing longevity has been an achievable goal for centuries. Living a happy and healthy life is one of the best ways to live a long life. Although you may think this is achieved strictly on a physical basis, there are a lot of mental aspects that play into longevity as well. From committing to yoga to finding out life’s purpose, to taking anti-aging supplements and other nootropics, longevity is achievable for most of us! It is up to you to make the change and do what is best suited for your desired lifestyle. Remember, change is a good thing and big changes can be made possible by little changes!
Evolution wants us to survive as long as possible. Longevity wants us to thrive as long as possible.
Anti-ageing methods:
Anti-aging has a much more complex meaning nowadays and does not just simply revolve around trying to maintain our physical age; eg, using anti-ageing skin creams to look as young as possible! As stated above, many slight changes can result in longevity. If we can successfully tune into the link between our physical bodies and mind-state, then we will find longevity a lot more ‘effortless’. Let’s go over some of these methods.
Diet:
This may be one of your first guesses. Although you may be tired of hearing this over and over again. Your diet is vital and you are what you eat! Cliché, I know… But the truth often lies within ‘cliché’ quotes! Some of the best advice when it comes to diet is to find a balance and eat the rainbow! In Japanese cultures where longevity is a common way of life, they consume smaller portions throughout their day that are packed in nutrients. Eating a smaller mass of nutrient-dense food is a valuable practice in longevity. Eat as many fresh, local, and healthy foods as you can. Many individuals in Japan urge other cultures to make an active effort to add more colour to their dishes. They say this is one of their secrets to slowing ageing. Eating mindfully is understandably easier said than done, however, your diet likely plays one of the largest roles in the ageing process. Not to mention a poor diet is one of the biggest links to disease!
Sleep:
High-quality sleep is one of the best gifts you can give your brain. One in 3 adults claims they do not get enough sleep at night. In fact, it has even become ‘trendy’ in younger age groups to lack a healthy sleeping schedule. It is also important to note that getting lots of sleep does not mean you are getting quality sleep- there is a big difference between the two. You can have 10 hours of low-quality sleep and be less rested than if you were to get 6 hours of high-quality sleep. Getting a good night’s rest each night is something many of us, unfortunately, neglect to focus on. Many individuals who have trouble getting a good sleep in at night give up at some point and accept they will never maintain a healthy sleeping schedule. Did you know that many of our sleeping issues can be improved or even fixed by optimizing our circadian rhythm? Your circadian rhythm is basically your biological sleep cycle. It is a natural internal process that regulates your sleep/wake cycle, repeating approximately every 24 hours. Many of us are out of touch with our circadian rhythm. There are so many ways you can improve and optimize this cycle in a natural way. There may be something as simple as not opening your blinds in the morning or looking at the blue light of your screen too late in the day that is stopping your circadian rhythm from working in your favour.
Anti-Ageing Supplements:
Although many lifestyle changes can increase longevity, there is no harm in looking into anti-ageing supplements. Despite brain and health supplements being proven over and over again to be both effective and safe, many individuals are still sceptical. This is understandable; however, it is important to be open-minded when deciding whether or not to be sceptical of something, especially when science has repeatedly proven it. Thanks to modern-day studies, humans have developed an abundant amount of helpful anti-aging supplements for increasing longevity. Taking brain health and longevity supplements may be one of the easiest changes you can make in your routine that will assist in extending your lifespan! With so many of these supplements available, it can be hard to pick which ones are the best anti-ageing supplements on the market. I advise you to look into the different supplements available and experiment until you find the right one(s). Remember, longevity is a journey, and we are all unique individuals with specific needs/requirements. When walking down the path of longevity, expect to experiment with everything until you find what is right for you. Here are a few of (in my opinion) the best anti-ageing supplements on the market:
Staying Active:
A lot of people get the wrong idea when they are told staying active is one of the keys to longevity. Staying active doesn’t necessarily mean doing intense exercise for hours each day. Although regular intense exercise has a heap of benefits for the mind and body, simply staying active has many perks as well. This can be by making sure you get x amount of steps in each day, for example. An important routine in many Japanese cultures stresses the importance of staying active all day long, no matter what your job or lifestyle is like. Even those who have ‘sit-down jobs’ still prioritize staying active by getting up every 30 minutes to do a few minutes of stretches or other light movements.
After sitting down for 30 minutes, your body changes and goes into an unnatural state. This state is detrimental to your health. There have been countless studies proving the importance of getting up and moving every 30 minutes to keep your body in a healthy state, increasing your lifespan. Many studies have told us that sitting down for extended periods, multiple days in a row literally increases your risk of death. That being said, if you have an office job, you may want to consider taking a few minute break every half hour to move around. This will exceptionally increase your productivity, focus, and physical/brain health!
Finding Purpose:
The longevity community is beginning to understand how much ‘purpose’ has a play in our overall health. Finding your purpose and putting it into action will make you live longer; who would have thought?! A recent study that included about 7,000 adults over the age of 50 published by the Journal of American Medical Association tells us a lot about the impact of finding purpose and meaning. They found that those who had the lowest outlook on their life’s purpose were twice as likely to die sooner than others. This is something that Japanese cultures have known for many years. When understanding how much our mental health plays into our physical health, it is no surprise that a lack of purpose results in an alarming decline in health. Whether you believe it or not, every single one of us has a unique purpose on Earth, even you! Just because you haven’t figured out your life’s purpose does not mean it does not exist; it just means you haven’t found it yet. The best way to discover why you were placed on Earth is by trying anything that interests you! Constantly try new things and don’t give up! In my opinion, one of the best things you can do for your mental health is to find and exercise your life’s purpose. You owe it to yourself to live out a meaningful existence that brings your joy. Life is too short to settle, and your life is worth way too much to disregard your undiscovered potential.
I encourage you to practice self-optimization so you can live the longest and happiest life you possibly can. Even if you put one or two of my above tips into practice, it will inevitably change your life in a positive way. Longevity is a journey that awaits all of us. There is no magic supplement or practice that will fix all your problems for you. It is up to you to take the step. Life is so precious and extremely finite, so isn’t it worth trying to make the most of it while you are here?