Magazine Links Sleep Time, Longevity

The online edition of the U.S. economic biweekly magazine Forbes revealed 15 ways to live longer for baby boomers who have become senescent on May 7.

A first tip is not to sleep too much. It is said that the lifespan of those who sleep more than eight hours gets shortened significantly. The most ideal sleeping time is six or seven hours. The death rate of those who sleep less than four hours also increases.

Raising pets is also helpful to address problems such as stress, depression, and lack of exercise.

Those who are good with taking control of their feelings live a long life. Even though it might sound natural, people who get anxious when stimulated and become excessively angry cannot live a long life. According to research results from the Johns Hopkins University in 2002, an adult male group who reacts to stress to the most extreme degree has a three times higher chance of developing heart diseases than those who are not and of the same age. Another secret is to marry well. It doesn’t mean getting married to rich men or women. It means marrying those whose grandparents are still alive, if possible. Longevity also could be a genetic factor.

Some research results suggest that enough sexual intimacy is also helpful. Sexual relations themselves are not helpful to living longer, but they promote emotional stability and releasing stress. And don’t forget to take antioxidants. Antioxidants such as vitamin A, C, and E help slow the aging process.

Meditation is essential. According to the Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City, the best way to relieve stress is meditation. Fifteen minutes of meditation is much more effective than an hour of sleep in getting rid of stress. If that is not allowed, about two minutes of meditation is very helpful.

Financial affluence also plays a role in longevity. In the U.S., 24 percent of families with less than $20,000 in annual income have patients with chronic diseases while only six percent of those who earn more than $75,000 do.

Besides them, Forbes counted positive thinking, a VAP test which measures cholesterol level, quitting smoking, regular exercise, laughing, losing weight, and stress control as keys to longevity.

Jung-Ahn Kim credo@donga.com