Certain habits may reduce your chances of living a long life.

People have varying life expectancies.

For example, family history can be a predictor of longevity.

After all, it is hard to fool the gene pool.

While it may be nearly impossible to choose your ancestors, you can choose your habits.

Our lifestyle choices can influence our health as we rack up more birthdays.

According to a recent Money Talks News article titled “7 Things to Stop Doing if You Want to Live a Long Life,” specific habits and practices may reduce life expectancy.

Prolonged sitting does not bode well for a long life.

What are these poor habits?

Stressing.

Stress and anxiety are not just pleasant feelings.

Chronic stress can also impact physiological health.

It has been associated with cancer, digestive disorders, and heart disease.

Each of these conditions has been connected to premature death.

Sitting.

According to a 2022 research study conducted by Simon Fraser University in British Columbia and the Chinese Academy of Medical Services in Beijing, sitting for long periods of time does not promote a long life.

The researchers reviewed data from more than 100,000 individuals over about 11 years.

When people sat for between six and eight hours each day, they had a 12 percent to 13 percent greater chance of heart disease and early death.

For those who sat more than eight hours each day, the likelihood of these ailments rose to 20 percent.

Yikes!

Eating processed foods.

Although processed foods are filled with preservatives, they do not preserve your health and youthfulness.

Ultra-processed foods are actually detrimental to a long life.

Of the preventable premature deaths in 2019 in Brazil, 20 percent of them were linked to the consumption of ultra-processed foods.

These foods are also correlated to greater cognitive decline.

Nothing good in that.

Overeating.

Food is essential to restoring nutrients to the body and providing energy for daily tasks.

But eating too much food can increase body mass index (BMI).

A study conducted in 2016 reviewed the data from more than 10.6 million participants from 1970 to 2015.

According to the study, those with higher BMI numbers also had a greater risk of mortality.

Generally, overweight individuals have a higher risk of death related to cancer, cardiovascular disease, and respiratory disease.

Drinking heavily.

Alcohol is not all bad.

Having an occasional glass of wine has been found to have some actual health benefits.

Even so, the CDC notes more than 380 deaths in the United States each day are connected to excessive alcohol use.

Too much alcohol consumption is related to heart disease, liver disease, and cancer.

It is possible for excessive alcohol intake to shorten life expectancy up to 26 years.

What is considered excessive drinking?

For women, it is considered to be eight or more drinks in a week or four or more drinks in a single sitting.

For men, it is considered to be fifteen or more drinks in a week or five or more drinks in a single sitting.

Declining invitations.

If you want to live a long life, it is best not to isolate yourself.

According to the CDC, social isolation after age 50 increases the chances of dying early from obesity, physical inactivity, and smoking.

Those with few social relationships have a 32 percent greater risk of stroke and a 29 percent greater risk of heart disease.

For dementia, the risk increase associated with social isolation is 50 percent.

Failing to get adequate sleep.

Getting fewer than six hours of sleep each night can increase your chances of premature death by 10 times.

Poor sleep has been connected to ailments like diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and high blood pressure.

For those who want to enjoy a healthy and long life, the best courses of action to take are to choose healthy habits.

Reference: Money Talks News (Jan. 9, 2023) “7 Things to Stop Doing if You Want to Live a Long Life”