There’s a lot of noise around longevity right now, with many of us tuning into the Netflix documentary Live To 100: Secrets Of The Blue Zones to find out just how we can live to 100 (or beyond).

And while we know that certain countries enjoy a higher life expectancy than others, the fact is that most of our lifestyles won’t allow a move to Greece/Japan/Italy and our genetics could be less than stellar. But don’t despair – there’s plenty we can do to influence how well we can age, if not exactly how long we will live. 

Here are our expert-approved top longevity habits that you can start today. 

Who doesn’t want to live forever? Well, maybe not forever, but living to a ripe old age is most people’s goal – and living well is key to this.

“Increasing your longevity is not just about adding years to your life – it’s about adding life to your years,” says nutritional therapist and yoga teacher Mays Al-Ali. “We are currently living in a world where it has never been more important to safeguard our health. Long-term health conditions are rapidly on the increase and can be incredibly destructive. We are increasing our life spans, but we aren’t improving our health, so we are living longer, but also living sicker.”

And adding in a few simple, daily habits won’t just (hopefully) elongate your lifespan – you will also reap the benefits in your day-to-day life across your mood, work, productivity and relationships – there’s barely an aspect of your lifestyle that won’t be positively influenced by these small lifestyle tweaks.

“Take control today, and reshape your future,” says Al-Ali. “From quick easy wins in the morning to longer-term commitments, such as grocery habit changes and fasting, these are my favourite longevity habits.”

The benefits of cold water therapy are well-known, with fans and experts alike claiming a chilly dip can reduce stress levels, boost immune function and relieve DOMS, among other benefits.

Don’t fancy going full-on Wim Hof? The good news is that you don’t have to commit to a freezing ice bath to reap the rewards – just adding a quick blast of cold water at the end of your morning shower could do the trick.

“As little as two minutes in a cold shower each morning can help balance the stress response and leave you calm, cool and ready for the day,” says Al-Ali. “During recent decades, chronic illness, immune disorders and inflammatory diseases have increased dramatically, and research shows that cold water therapy can alleviate some of these stressors.”

We’re not just talking about removing your shoes when you get home in the evening (but this is good, too) - walking barefoot can help leave you energised and at peace.

“The simple practice of being barefoot on the ground can be incredibly healing,” says Al-Ali. And while the scientific benefits are yet to be established, anyone who has ever walked barefoot along a beach and felt the sand in between their toes can attest to the stress relieving power of contact between our feet and nature. 

There’s nothing to lose here - if you’ve never tried it, throw off those shoes and give it a try.

We’ve said it before, and we’re saying it again: sleep is a critical part of increasing your longevity.

“If you aren’t getting enough sleep, the body is unable to repair properly,” says Al-Ali. Try leaving your devices in another room overnight – if you’re concerned about waking up on time, invest in a small alarm clock rather than relying on your phone. 

We know that intermittent fasting has many fans – but it’s not for everyone, so tread carefully.

“Fasting can be a great way to heal and energise the body but it is also a fantastic anti-ageing technique,” says Al-Ali. “When we fast, the body starts the process of autophagy, which gets rid of old cells and allows new cells to be created.”

Research shows that periodical and intermittent fasting can impact longevity and health span, but anyone with a history of disordered eating should steer well clear. In addition, much of the research has been carried out on men, so the impact of women’s health is still somewhat unclear.

“But men and women react differently to fasting when starting out,” agrees Al-Ali. “If not done correctly, fasting can cause more stress than benefit, so make sure to always consult a professional before adopting any new and significant lifestyle changes such as this.” 

We’re all pretty aware of how important good gut health is to our overall health, but did you also know that a diverse range of gut microbiota might affect how long we live?

Studies show that older adults with a good mix of gut bacteria lived longer than those whose microbiome remained similar. While the causal link has yet to be established, we do know that people with a diverse and healthy microbiome tend to have a healthier lifestyle overall.

And gut health doesn’t have to be complicated – you can start by eating some fermented foods every day and making sure you’re eating enough fibre.

“Eating fermented foods is such an easy way to improve the friendly bacteria in your microbiome,” advises Al-Ali. “Kimchi or sauerkraut are delicious condiments that you can add to any savoury meal – just one tablespoon per meal is enough to add in the goodness.

Try and focus on increasing your fibre intake as well. “The recommended daily intake is 30g, and most clients I see don’t eat nearly that much,” says Al-Ali. “Aim for three portions of veg in each meal. Try adding spinach or kale into your smoothie along with some avocado and choose fibre-rich cruciferous vegetables in your main meals.”

It’ll come as no surprise that one of the best ways to improve your life expectancy is to maintain an active lifestyle. Studies consistently show that staying physically fit reduces our mortality risk – and to boost the positive effects further, we should be doing a combination of strength training and cardio workouts.

According to a study in The British Journal Of Sports Medicine, regularly doing both weight and cardio training (one to three hours per week of aerobic exercise and one or two strength sessions per week) is associated with an even lower mortality risk than doing just one or the other – and it doesn’t have to be complicated (or expensive) to add these workouts into your daily life.

Think about simple tweaks you can make to your everyday routine – perhaps walking slightly faster than normal or taking the stairs rather than the lift at work – and these small changes can add up to a big difference. 

Images: Getty