Don’t obsess about diet and exercise - it may be as important to enjoy a glass of wine, a piece of chocolate, tackle a Sudoku, and take the dog for a walk say our experts. Here are ten ways to get started ...
A long and happy life is something we all hope to enjoy. It is also something we can achieve. We can't control everything that happens, and let's face it life has its bumps and bruises, but we can decide how these will influence us and determine how we travel through our life's journey. As the saying goes 'life is what you make it', but a much better way to look at this is, to take the attitude ‘you can make it what you want'.
Having a happy life won't happen by accident, although most of us have experienced happy coincidences, opportunities and lucky moments along the way, so a good place to start is to actually dream.
In dreaming you can imagine how you want your life to feel and look like. Don’t do this just once in your life and think you have to stick to it – you can do it throughout your lifetime, as your age and life circumstances change. Some psychologists call this having a 'fuzzy vision' of the future. It is an idea about where you want to be in the future but it is fuzzy because it needs to adaptable. What we want at 16 is very different from what we want at age 40 and 80. The dream should simply reflect your values and priorities and becomes a compass point to head towards. Start now and make a commitment to yourself and that dream.
Once you have that ‘fuzzy vision’ in place, you need to take practical steps to achieving your dream and getting the long and happy life you want.
Today as a result of extensive scientific research we now have a better understanding of what generally enables people to have a long and happy life. This includes we need to increase happiness, build resilience, aid achievement, avoid stress, bring success, heal from trauma, improve life, and much more.
We have taken from the evidence and compiled a list of things you can do to help you create the long and happy life you want. Read the list of suggestions, take five that appeal to you most and see how they can contribute to your life...
1. Friendship
Friendship is vital - not only for having fun, sharing interests, and
providing support but also giving direct health benefits. Having a
network of great friends can result in a longer lifespan, reduced
stress, and better coping skills. A recent 10-year study conducted by
the Centre for Ageing Studies at Flinders University indicated that
individuals with a large network of friends lived 22 per cent longer
than those who had the least number of friends. Health psychology and
medical research have also revealed that not having friends is bad for
your health and increases cardiovascular illness. Make time to
regularly connect with friends and family for both psychological and
physical health.
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2. Animal friends
International and Australian studies have shown that pets like dogs and
cats provide health benefits for their owners. A large survey found that
dog and cat owners make fewer annual doctor visits and are less likely
to be on medication for heart problems and sleeping difficulties than
non-pet-owners. A study in the British Medical Journal investigated how
pets could benefit health and discovered that the emotional bond between
owner and pet can be as intense as that in many human relationships -
that pets are companions and may confer similar psychological benefits
to having friends. Pets are even used in hospitals and mental health
units in formal programs as part of the therapeutic environment that
assists recovery and positive health. Perhaps now is the time to find a
pet that suits you and your life style? Alternatively, why not volunteer
with an animal welfare organisation or with your local vet?
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3. Volunteering
In 2007 a US study into the benefits of volunteering confirmed what
people already felt - that volunteering was related to feelings of
psychological well-being and self-reported health. The study covered
several years and found that the more you volunteer over the years, the
greater the benefit. Find something you’re interested in or care about
and go and help them. You’ll do something good for others, and feel
good yourself.
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4. Stress management
Let’s face it - we all get stressed from time to time. Managing stress
so that it doesn't overwhelm you or become a chronic problem is
essential to feeling good about your life. Chronic excessive stress is
not just bad for your body it is also bad for your brain. Under stress
our brain triggers the release of adrenalin and cortisol, both are great
for a short term boost in energy and focus to solve emergencies and
problems, but over the long term they burden the body, cardiovascular
system and brain. It’s incredibly important to find time and ways to
rest and relax. The US Mayo Clinic states that relaxation techniques
cannot only help you cope with everyday stress, but also with
stress-related health problems, such as cancer and pain. We all know
meditation and yoga can induce a sense of calm and relaxation, but so
too can simply turning off the telly, lying on the sofa, switching off
your mind and staring at the ceiling!
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5. Diet
The evidence is pretty obvious- a healthy diet is vital for a long and
healthy life. There is so much information available about healthy diets
and yet the research continues to show that most people are not getting
the recommended daily intake of two serves of fruit and five serves of
vegetables etc. You know it. It is essential for physical health, but
did you know that what you eat also affects your psychological
wellbeing? In 2009 a British study revealed that people with a high
intake of processed food were much more likely to be depressed. On the
flip side, studies show that including dark chocolate in your diet will
make you feel happier, and a glass of red wine could help your heart.
Take this time to improve your diet, – you might live healthier and
longer and be happier as a result. Isn’t that worth trying for?
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6. Exercise
Exercise is so good for your health, but did you know it could make you
'smarter' by building new brain connections and by improving your brain
performance? Recent research suggests that exercise improves brain
function in a number of exciting ways. A Cochrane review – the top
shelf of research - revealed that people who exercised had faster brain
processing time and were better at solving problems than people who did
not exercise. A Canadian study also indicated that exercisers delayed
the onset of dementia. And lastly, research reveals that exercise
triggers brain growth factors, which are necessary to build more brain
connections. Exercising for muscle may also give you more brain
power. Remember you don’t necessarily have to head to the gym to
enjoy the benefits of exercise - dancing can really be a great way to
get your heart going, kayaking, horse riding, even walking the dog.
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7. Leisure activities.
Too much work or doing the same thing day-in and day-out can make any of
us very dull indeed. Finding fun new things to do makes life (and us)
more interesting. They can also be challenging, social and
educational. Identify activities that you want to do - it may be a
hobby you loved as a child, or something new you’ve always wanted to
try. Don’t put it off, have a look online and find your nearest group
or club and get into it. Not only will you be doing something you love
in your leisure time, you’ll also probably meet like-minded new friends
into the bargain.
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8. Brain activity
The 'Mind your Mind' campaign of Alzheimer's Australia recommends you
keep your brain active and stimulated to reduce your risk of developing
dementia. Being mentally active stimulates blood flow and brain
metabolism and increase neuroplasticity when the brain makes new
connections and adapts to learning - all good for keeping your brain
mentally healthy. Mentally-challenging games such as playing chess,
bridge or mah-jong are only some possibilities as there are many other
hobbies and interests that can be mentally stimulating such as dancing,
playing music, learning a language, modelling, craft and creative
pursuits. Think of something you have always wanted to do or learn and
make a start.
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9. Sleep
Getting a good night’s sleep is crucial to feeling good. Fatigue or
lack of good quality sleep, can reduce a person’s overall brain
functioning, leading to mistakes, forgetfulness, and clumsiness.
Concentration, attention and information-processing speed also
deteriorate, and it should be remembered that fatigue is a major factor
in motor vehicle accidents. Proper breathing during sleep has also been
found to be crucial to oxygenation of cells as well as restoration of
energy. Fatigue can make us stressed which interferes with the brain’s
ability to function, particularly memory, decision-making and reasoning,
but also contributes to weight gain and diabetes. And who wants that?
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10. Laughter
Laughing really is the best medicine. When you laugh endorphins and
other positive natural brain chemicals are released into your brain-body
system. These reduce stress, increase immune functioning - and
importantly we feel happier and are more likely to laugh again - a happy
cycle! But it is also important to maintain perspective on what is
happening to us in our lives and not take things too seriously all the
time. So don’t take life so seriously! LoL...(laugh out loud)
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