How to live longer: Having a nap for this amount of time can help achieve longevity
A longer life could be achieved by having an hour-long nap, according to researchers. It can prevent your brain from ageing and help you perform better in memory tests. Researchers at the American Health in Ageing Foundation examined 3,000 adults over the age of 65. But the nap has to be for 60 minutes - a longer or shorter siesta will not have the same effect. The sleep should also take place in the afternoon, as study participants who slept for an hour in the afternoon were better able to solve simple maths problems, copy geometrical figures and memorise words.
A longer life could be achieved by having an hour-long nap, according to researchers
Those who did not take a nap at all performed badly in the tests. Dr Junxin Li told Express.co.uk: “These people experienced about the same decline in their mental abilities that a five-year increase in age would be expected to cause.” He added that cognitive function was significantly associated with napping. “Moderate nappers had better overall cognitive than non-nappers or extended nappers.” Diet, being a healthy weight and not smoking are key to living longer. But how exactly does a poor diet, excess weight and smoking impact your life expectancy?
GETTY How to live longer: Having a nap for a specific amount of time can help achieve longevity
9 Superfoods that can save your life Mon, December 5, 2016 Superfoods to help you live longer - Analysis suggests even a small daily serving of nuts can cut the risk of coronary heart disease by 30 per cent, cancer by 15 per cent and premature death by 22 per cent. Here are the best superfoods to eat for a healthy life. Play slideshow Getty 1 of 10 9 Superfoods to help you live longer
GETTY How to live longer: An hour-long nap can help prevent your brain from ageing
There are three things Harvard Health recommends on its site for longevity, alongside exercise, building a strong social network and seeing a dentist regularly. Smoking It may not come as a surprise that smoking can affect your life expectancy, but what kind of impact does it have? The research body states: “Smoking contributes to heart disease, osteoporosis, emphysema and other chronic lung problems, and stroke. It makes breathing during exercise much harder and thus can make activity less enticing. It appears to compromise memory, too.” But it adds that people who quit smoking can repair some, if not all, of the damage done. “After a smoker quits, the risk of heart disease begins to drop within a few months, and in five years, it matches that of someone who never smoked. Stroke risk drops to equal that of a nonsmoker within two to four years after a smoker quits, according to one study. “The death rate from colorectal cancer also decreases each year after quitting. At any age, quitting progressively cuts your risk of dying from cancer related to smoking, although this drop is most marked in those who quit before age 50.”
GETTY How to live longer: The nap should take place in the afternoon