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It's amazing the range of common attitudes and conditions in people's lives that seem to consistently contribute to their living for a long time. Here are five more of them:
A circle of close friends. Research has shown that chronic stress has a weakening effect on the immune system and ages cells faster, reducing longevity by four to eight years. "Good interpersonal relationships act as a buffer against stress," says Micah Sadigh, an associate professor of psychology at Cedar Crest College, in Allentown, Pa.
Friends who are healthy. Whom you surround yourself with often determines what you'll be like. One study, in the New England of Journal of Medicine, found that if a person's dearest friends gain weight, he does the same 57 percent of the time. "To maintain a healthy lifestyle, it's important to associate with people who have similar goals," says Nicholas A. Christakis, the study's lead researcher.
Embracing new challenges. According to two studies, those people who are diligent, organized and goal-oriented generally live longer and have 89 percent less incidence of Alzheimer's disease. Such persons exercise their brains more than their less-serious counterparts, according to the lead researcher in both studies, Robert S. Wilson, a professor of neurological sciences and psychology at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. So it's healthy to read new books, do new things, go new places, think new thoughts.
Doing your own housework. A study of 302 people in their 70s and 80s showed that risk of death could be lowered by 30 percent just by vacuuming, mopping floors, washing the car, and the like for a little more than an hour a day. An average person burned about 285 calories doing such work over such a period of time.
Being positive and purposeful. People with a positive worldview, who are guided by a purposeful drive and a sense of community, are healthier than those who think ill of themselves, according to a study in American Psychologist magazine.
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