The difference between and healthy lifespan is that the former measures the time between birth and death, while the latter defines how long a person can enjoy their senior years.
Quality of life is crucial, especially as humanity now lives longer. Therefore, health should be maintained well into . However, this doesn’t require expensive measures or resources.
In a recent article in the Huffington Post, longevity experts shared seven simple, beneficial habits. These habits can help you live better and longer without costing a dime.
A Life Filled with Purpose
Erin Martinez, a healthy aging specialist at Kansas State University (USA), asserts that it’s essential to have “a clear understanding of why you live.”
“The Japanese call this ikigai – the ‘reason for being’ or ‘the reason to get up in the morning.’ This purpose doesn’t have to be about changing the world. It can be found in small but meaningful activities, such as gardening, caring for a pet, strengthening relationships, or contributing to community life. When you have something that makes you feel needed, you’re more likely to take care of your health, maintain social connections, and preserve emotional resilience,” Dr. Martinez said.
Researchers have also found that individuals with a stronger sense of purpose in life have a 28 percent lower risk of developing cognitive impairments.
Maintaining Social Connections
Interacting with others also helps prevent a decline in .
Several studies have shown that social isolation leads to memory loss and ultimately dementia in older adults. Moreover, a prolonged sense of loneliness can even result in a reduction in brain size, according to Daily Mail.
Harvard University researchers found that the quality of relationships is the most powerful factor determining a long, happy, and healthy life.
Sebastian Brandhorst, a professor at the Leonard Davis School of Gerontology at the University of Southern California, provided a compelling example: “Women from Okinawa who live to be 100 years old or more traditionally form social support groups in childhood and remain together throughout their lives.”
Communicating Across Generations
According to Dr. Martinez, mentoring young people, learning from older individuals, or simply interacting with neighbors of different ages is extremely important. Such interactions help maintain mental sharpness, broaden perspectives, and strengthen a sense of belonging.
“Connections between people of different age groups are one of the most valuable investments you can make for extending your life,” Ms. Martinez added.
Avoiding Risky Behaviors
Dr. Douglas Vaughan, director of the Longevity Institute at Northwestern University (USA), states: “The best way to extend life is not to shorten it.”
Interestingly, risky behaviors include not only skydiving or diving into icy waters but also harmful habits like , , drug use, and driving under the influence.
A 2012 study by Swedish researchers found that avoiding dangerous behaviors could extend women’s lives by 5 years and men’s by 6.
Volunteering
According to longevity experts, volunteering effectively enhances quality of life in older age.
“It strengthens social connections, encourages physical activity, and fosters a sense of purpose, thereby combating loneliness and depression. Research consistently shows that people who volunteer tend to live longer and report higher levels of happiness and satisfaction at any age,” Dr. Martinez noted.
Researchers at Stanford University (USA) found that individuals who engage in volunteer activities at age 70 and older live longer than their peers who do not.
Adjusting Eating Windows
The time of day when we eat significantly impacts our quality of life. According to Dr. Brandhorst, it’s important to practice intermittent fasting in later years, meaning consuming all your food within a certain number of hours.
“For example, the first meal is crucial for calorie intake, so coffee with cream and sugar can be consumed at 8 AM, while dinner can be set for 6 PM,” Brandhorst says.
He explains that “aligns the digestive system’s functioning with other systemic signals, such as sleep.” This benefits health by promoting weight loss, strengthening the heart, and regulating blood sugar levels. However, everyone should choose the eating window that they find most optimal for themselves.
A Consistent Sleep Schedule
Getting enough sleep is important at any age, but especially in older age. Sleep is the “body’s recovery program,” Dr. Vaughan noted. It’s essential to maintain a consistent sleep schedule, as this helps “restore metabolic balance, preserve vascular function, and stabilize immune signaling.” Meanwhile, insufficient or irregular sleep accelerates aging.
Studies have shown that prolonged sleep deprivation increases the risk of hypertension, diabetes, obesity, depression, heart attacks, and strokes.
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