In his book The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer from the People Who’ve Lived the Longest, Dan Buettner explains how through his research he was able to identify 9 key lifestyle habits that people who have lived the longest all have in common. Dan spent over a decade in the Blue Zones prior to writing this book and he observed these common habits among some of the world’s healthiest people.
For some context the Blue Zones include:
- Ikaria – an island in Greece
- Okinawa – an island in Japan
- The Barbagia region of Sardinia (Italy)
- Loma Linda – a small city in California
- The Nicoya peninsula in Costa Rica
In these zones Dan witnessed people who not only lived longer and healthier lives but also who lived more fulfilling lives. People here live up to 100 and even in their 80s and 90s they were still much healthier and stronger than their counterparts in more industrialized countries. These habits of people who have lived the longest are easy to implement into our lives with a few adjustments.
To see current life expectancy, click here.
In his book Dan describes these 9 key lifestyle habits as the “Power 9”. In this post I would like to see how we can learn from these people and apply these habits into our daily lives. Everyone wants to live longer for a variety of reasons so if we can live fuller, healthier and better lives by adopting a few habits then we should do it.
9 Key Habits of People Who have Lived the Longest
As you read through these habits of people who have lived the longest think of the oldest person that you know. They could be people you know personally or on T.V. Think about how they live and the state of their lives. Are they happy or sad people? What makes them happy or sad? See if these habits are applicable to them and how we can all apply them.
Table of Contents
1. Constant Movement
This is not exercise per se. It’s technically making sure that if you are the type of person who tracks their steps that you are constantly moving around to get your steps in. The best way to implement this in our day to day lives would be walking instead of taking the bus for a 15 minute walk, parking a little further from the elevator, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, cleaning the house and generally making sure that you aren’t sedentary.
For a person who works in the office get up and walk around every other hour. If possible take a walk during your lunch break. They say it takes 21 days to set a routine. Get in the habit of moving around.
2. Have Purpose
This word has so much meaning and looks different for so many people. Different things give different people purpose. Find something meaningful in your life and focus on nurturing that thing. People who have lived longer always say that you need a good reason to wake up in the morning. I’ve seen people who live this quiet unassuming lives with so much grace because they have found their reason for being.
For some people it’s their kids and personally I think this is one of the best investments anyone can make in their lifetimes. Raising a half decent human being isn’t a walk in the park but there is purpose there.
Careers give purpose to some people. If your job gives you a reason to wake up in the morning and you are fulfilled by it then make it your life’s mission to make sure you thrive and leave a legacy. Make sure that your career impacts someone’s life somewhere positively otherwise it’s all for nothing.
According to Buettner having a purpose adds up to seven years of life. Purpose gives you hope and with that endless possibilities.
3. Decompress
I always insist on having a few minutes in a day for myself. Whether it’s in the morning when I wake up or during the day when I have a break from work it’s important to set apart time just for myself. Everybody is stressed out about something however minute it may be. One key habit that people in Blue Zones exhibited was finding ways to relieve the stress.
I believe that one of the most valuable gifts that you can give yourself is time. Taking time to be more fully present. Oprah
There are so many ways to decompress. Some people meditate. I’ve never quite been able to meditate successfully but for people who do it well they swear by it. Yoga I have found works for me. The breathing and constant flow keeps my mind quiet and for half an hour to an hour my mind is centered on just inhaling and exhaling.
Another stress reliever is a glass of wine or even taking a nap. Meet up with a good friend or even alone in your house when the babies are asleep. Open that bottle of wine, put some music on, seat on your couch and have your ‘mommy’ time.
It is critical to decompress daily. Don’t wait until you are about to blow up to finally decide to handle your stress.
4. Portion Control
If you thought that portion control was a diet fad than you thought wrong because it is not. We eat so much more food than our bodies need especially with a primarily sedentary lifestyle. People who live longer and healthier lives eat less. With overweight and obesity numbers being on the rise in America it’s important to control the amount of food that we eat.
Having been on keto for a while now I noticed that it doesn’t take much to make me full. I eat until I am full on days that I practice intermittent fasting. My goal isn’t to finish the food on my plate but rather to eat until I am full and to stop when I don’t need to eat any more.
Another great tip is to eat your smallest meal in the evening or skip it all together. We consume way more food than we need and if we want to live healthy lives we need to watch what we eat which translates to weight.
5. Eat more Plant Based Food
I am not big on being a vegan. I think meat is good for the body and like everything else should be consumed with moderation. With that being said it’s important to have more vegetables, fruit and whole grains on your plate than meat. A balanced diet is important and as someone who practices keto I always try to ensure that I consume a 20% ratio of proteins in my diet. There are health issues related to over consumption of meat so if you need to consult a dietician it would be great.
6. Wine & Dine
Wine has been a staple among the Blue Zones for centuries. If you have lived in Europe you understand what I mean. Having a glass of wine at lunch is absolutely normal and in some places wine is cheaper than water.
If you’ve ever heard that quote about a little wine for the stomach you understand what I mean. I associate wine with relaxation. Not so much wine that you become an irate drunk but just enough to unwind. I’ve read a few biographies where older people would say a glass of wine goes a long way.
7. Have built Community
In the recent past people have shied away from religious communities. Churches keep getting a bad rep which is understandable but faith based communities are a cornerstone of some of the best relationships that we can have outside of family. Buettner recons that such communities add 4 to 14 years of life expectancy!
That’s a huge number. It’s long enough to see your great grand kids grow up! Think about that before you knock the power of community. Finding a place to belong faith-wise is a very personal decision and one that would likely take time because it should fit into your family’s beliefs.
I encourage people strongly to find communities that they can set up roots. Where children can grow up with other children sharing the same belief system that will protect them in the years to come. I have attended a church where during the week we would meet in groups. Whether it’s a singles group, mummy group, couples group or age group these groups went a long way in providing a sense of belonging in a church that would otherwise feel lonely.
Make it a goal to find somewhere to belong. Communities like this can provide a great support system especially if you live far from home.
8. Make Family Priority
Making family a priority is important in not only living a longer more fulfilling life, it’s good no matter what. Establish good relationships with your spouse and children. Communicate with your spouse effectively because this is the person who will be with you for most of your life. I rarely ever see people who aren’t couples hanging out together as we get older so always keep this in the back of your mind.
Maintain strong relationships with your parents and extended family. Family will love you no matter what. Sometimes space is important but don’t drift too far apart.
9. Tribes are important
Tribe sounds so archaic and not relevant to the times but trust me tribes are everything. In a day to day context tribes are our friends and social networks. These networks go far beyond socializing but also into our careers and who our mentors are. People who have lived the longest have strong tribes.
The people we surround ourselves with are important. Keep friends that add value to your life and that also have the same belief system that you do. We are the people we hung out with and whatever behavior you and your friends display to your kids that’s what they will copy.
Strong social networks should go beyond having a drink at a bar they should lead to growth in our personal and professional lives as well. Place yourself around people that inspire and motivate you. Also be around people who will check you when you are straying.
