Dr. Michael Mosley states that making simple lifestyle changes such as dancing and reading can significantly increase life expectancy. Here are the key habits that can positively affect life and contribute to increased longevity, according to the British newspaper "Daily Mail":
**Dancing for 5 to 10 Minutes Every Day**
According to Dr. Mosley, studies have shown that dancing improves muscle health, balance, and brain health more than traditional fitness exercises. Dancing vigorously can raise the heart rate to over 140 beats per minute and provides a great mix of low-intensity and high-intensity exercise, not to mention reducing the risks of depression, heart disease, and stroke, as well as enhancing memory and preventing dementia.
**Dedicate 20 Minutes Daily to Learning New Skills**
Engaging in new activities can be challenging, especially as one ages, but this practice helps generate new brain cells, according to Alan Gow, a psychology professor at Heriot-Watt University. Gow states that practicing a new skill, particularly in groups, can change the way you think and feel. If the skill is challenging enough, your brain will be forced to create new pathways and develop new connections, thus strengthening its power. Studies conducted by Professor Gow indicate that after three months of working on a new skill, people show improvement in their thinking skills, particularly in areas of the brain most affected by aging. One of the best ways to enhance mental health is by learning a new language, as coordinating sounds, words, concepts, and grammar boosts blood flow throughout the brain, improving intelligence and cognitive abilities.
**Taking a Hot Bath Before Bed**
A relaxing hot bath is one of life's rare pleasures that not only provides satisfaction but is also beneficial as it lowers blood sugar levels and reduces the risk of heart disease. Additionally, taking a hot bath about an hour and a half before bedtime may help you fall asleep faster and improve the quality of your sleep.
**Reading Fairy Tales for Half an Hour Each Day**
The great thing about reading fairy tales is that they serve as a workout for the entire brain. Researchers at Stanford University found a significant increase in blood flow across the entire brain when people read Jane Austen. Immersing ourselves in a good book engages our brains in imagining the settings, sounds, smells, and tastes described, activating various areas of the brain that process these real-life experiences. Words like lavender, cinnamon, and soap, for instance, will elicit responses in the language processing areas of our brains as well as in regions dedicated to handling smells. Dr. Raymond Marr, a neuroscientist at York University, states that reading fairy tales can enhance empathy and interpersonal skills because the brain areas we use to understand stories overlap with those we use to understand others. It also develops our minds' ability to create accurate models of real people and predict what they might think, feel, or do. Research from Yale University found that those who read for 30 minutes a day lived, on average, 23 months longer compared to those who did not engage in reading.
