Be in your forties and feel like you’re 20 again! It’s possible. We firmly believe that life really does begin at 40. Sure, you can’t gorge yourself on junk food and skip the gym without consequences, but now that your career is defined, you have a little more money set aside and a much clearer idea of what you want in life.
If you also want to feel – and look – better in your 40s, then read on, because we’ve gathered the ultimate secrets to making your 40s your healthiest decade too.
1 – Adopt a pet
Feeling stressed at work and raising a family? Adopting a pet may seem like another responsibility to add to the list, but it can actually have the opposite effect. One study found that “petting an animal reduced anxiety”. Give it a try!
2 – Avoid soda
When the 3 p.m. slump hits, all we want is a can of diet soda. But try finding a new way to stay energized: a study published in Obesity found that the average person consumes 222 calories a day from drinks alone, with no nutritional benefit. Not good for your shape and complexion, especially in your forties. To help you out, follow this list of 25 foods that men in their 40s should eat.
3 – Take awalk
Sure, scheduling a few workouts each week is great for building muscle and working off last night’s pizza. But there’s yet another reason to break a sweat: Canadian researchers found that by walking three hours a week for six months, subjects with vascular dementia could improve their brain function. The study authors speculate that the gym sessions improved brain activity by increasing blood flow to the brain and reducing blood pressure.
4 – Make new friends
The Beatles once wisely advised us to get by with the help of our friends, and their words are now backed up by science. One study estimates that socializing can add nearly five years to your life! Encouraging, and a good excuse to maintain your social life into your forties too.
5 – Put your foot down on the sauce
It’s all very well to have a drink after work every now and then, but overdoing it poses serious health risks. In fact, the risk of stroke is 34% higher in people in their forties who drink more than two alcoholic beverages a day. Surprisingly, alcohol consumption poses more risk to heart health than high blood pressure or even diabetes.
6 – Try Indian cuisine
The spices of Indian cuisine have long been praised for their slimming benefits, but one spice in particular helps both body and brain. In fact, daily consumption of curcumin – found in turmeric – improves mood and memory in subjects with minimal memory loss. Perhaps this is why India has a lower rate of Alzheimer’s than the Western world! Spices are excellent antioxidants.
7 – Drink fresh cherry juice before bedtime
As we age, we tend to sleep less, but this doesn’t have to be the case. To wake up well-rested, try drinking a glass of fresh cherry juice before bed.
Apparently, this juicy beverage can add almost an hour and a half to a person’s sleep cycle, even more important when you’re in your forties. Just be sure to avoid processed cherry juice, as it contains added sugar that can have the opposite effect on your restful sleep.
8 – Make love
No wonder Hugh Hefner lived to be 91. Having sex strengthens the heart, lowers blood pressure and releases stress-relieving happy hormones. As midlife is the most sexually fulfilling time of your life, you’d be wrong to deprive yourself of it, especially if it’s what the doctor ordered..
9 –Choose dark chocolate instead
Thanks to science, eating carrots for eye health is finally a thing of the past. It was recently discovered that eating dark chocolate could improve eyesight by 40% in just a few hours. A good excuse to indulge.
10 – Go out!
Don’t fall into the bad habit of Netflixing and relaxing in a dark room every weekend. We may like to be lazy, but our waistlines yearn for open spaces. Blue sunlight, visible during the day, helps eliminate the “bad” fat cells that lead to obesity and heart disease. But don’t forget to protect your skin from UV rays.
11 – Always wear sunscreen
Whatever the weather, whatever the season, your skin needs to be protected from harmful UV rays. Go without sunscreen and you expose yourself to sunburn, which damages our collagen-producing cells and prevents the skin from smoothing out wrinkles and other imperfections. Include it in your beauty routine, especially as you approach forty.
12 – Eat more home-cooked meals
People who eat out often attribute their bad habit to a lack of free time. Cooking at home certainly requires more effort than ordering from a takeaway menu, but a home-cooked meal is generally healthier and cheaper than going to a restaurant.
By cooking more often at home, you get a better diet without a significant increase in cost, whereas if you go out more, you get a less healthy diet at a higher cost.
13 – Watch a funny movie
If you’re feeling depressed, laughter may well be the best remedy. In fact, laughter triggers the release of the neurotransmitter called “serotonin”, similar to the effects of most antidepressants. So the next time you’re having a bad day, call up some friends and get in line for the latest comedy movie.
14 – Stop being sedentary
One of the easiest ways to burn extra calories during the day is to ditch your desk chair. Standing burns 0.15 more calories per minute than sitting – and for an adult weighing 143 kilos, that means burning 54 more calories in 6 hours, just by standing.
15 – Hang up the phone
Limit your phone time, don’t be a teenager. A study published in Oman Medical Journal found that increased cell phone use altered the way the thyroid released hormones, and that these altered levels could lead to weight gain, dry skin and other unwanted effects. At forty, hang up the phone!
16 – Serve a fish dish
Salmon, mackerel, tuna, it doesn’t matter what type of fish you eat, as long as you eat it at least twice a week. Eating omega-3-rich foods can reduce the risk of heart failure, coronary heart disease, cardiac arrest and stroke. Doctors have recommended focusing on salmon, mackerel, herring, lake trout, sardines and albacore tuna, as these are the fish with the highest levels of omega-3 fatty acids.
17 – Relax with a good book
According to researchers at Yale University’s School of Public Health, bibliophiles had a 20% lower risk of death over 12 years than those who avoided the library. Enough to motivate you to read. Plus, it’s good for your brain and memory. In your forties, it’s not too late to start.
18 – Take a nap
Napping isn’t just for old people! In your forties, it comes in very handy. If you can, try sneaking out during your lunch break for a quick 10-minute nap. Research shows that a little sleep can boost energy levels and improve cognitive performance for the rest of the day.
19 – Practice mindfulness
Meditating before bed is a healthy and relaxing way to fall asleep easily, and Chinese scientists give us yet another reason to incorporate this mindful habit into our nightly routine. According to their findings, eight weeks of meditation was enough to prevent major depressive disorder more effectively than traditional care.
20 – Eat more calcium
Call it a tribute to cheese. Experts believe that calcium helps the body burn fat for energy during exercise. According to one study, men who took 1,000 milligrams of calcium a day lost 50% more weight after nine months than men who came to the gym.
21 – Start your day with a cup of coffee
In your forties, no morning is complete without a cup of coffee. And it’s not just caffeine that makes us like the strong stuff (although that certainly helps) – but coffee consumption has been shown to be associated with a lower risk of stiff liver.
There’s plenty of epidemiological, but also experimental, data to suggest that coffee has health benefits in relation to elevated liver enzymes, viral hepatitis, NAFLD, cirrhosis and liver cancer.
22 – Berry frenzy
Every part of our body begins to deteriorate with age, including our cells. But when it comes to sirtuin 6 (SIRT6), an enzyme implicated in cancer and aging, berry anthocyanins can help reverse this process. Clearly, an anthocyanin called cyanidin found in wild blueberries, raspberries and cranberries reduced the activity of carcinogens and increased that of cancer-fighting genes.
23 – Take the stairs
Instead of taking the elevator to your office in the morning, opt for the stairs. Why should you? Because just 10 minutes of stair walking can give you more energy than 50 mg of caffeine or half a cup of coffee. Plus, it’s a great way to keep your heart rate up in the morning.
24 – Almond Snack
Looking for a mid-afternoon snack? Consider eating almonds. Indeed, the earthy nut reduces “bad” LDL cholesterol while simultaneously boosting heart-healthy HDL cholesterol.
If people include almonds in their diet, they should expect many benefits, including those that can improve heart health.
25 – Reduce your meat consumption
It’s the last thing most people want to hear, but eating too much meat – processed meat in particular – can shorten your lifespan and lead to complications such as cancer and heart disease. A study published in JAMA Internal Medicine concluded that the risk of premature death was 12% lower in vegetarians than in their fellow carnivores.
26 – Do some voluntary work
The feeling of satisfaction isn’t the only health benefit you get from devoting time to a good cause. Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University found that seniors who volunteered at least 200 hours a year reduced their risk of high blood pressure by 40%. There is strong evidence that good social relationships promote healthy aging and reduce the risk of negative health consequences.
27 – Say goodbye to ready-made meals
Life’s too short to waste a meal on microwave food – and it’ll be even shorter if you continue to rely on prepared packages. Eating prepared meals has been shown to be linked to an increased risk of excess belly fat and higher rates of obesity.
28 – Try acupuncture
If you find that your memory is starting to fade, you may want to consider acupuncture. Research shows that regular acupuncture can be beneficial in reducing dementia symptoms by improving cognitive and memory functions.
29 – Spendtime in the sauna
After your workouts at the gym, your heart will thank you for letting yourself sweat in the sauna. According to a study by the University of Eastern Finland, people who spent time in a sauna 4 to 7 times a week were 61% less likely to suffer a stroke than those who went only once. The researchers believe that the reduced risk is associated with lower blood pressure and improved cardiovascular function.
30 – Take a bath
Bubble baths are the ideal way to relax and burn calories after a long, stressful day. According to a British study, a one-hour bath burns 140 calories, the same amount as walking for half an hour. Apparently, soaking in hot water can reduce inflammation, which helps burn calories.
31 – Eat vegetables
You’re always telling your kids to eat their vegetables, so it’s time to practice what you preach. An Australian study found that older women who ate a lot of cruciferous vegetables like cabbage, Brussels sprouts and cauliflower had a lower carotid artery wall thickness than those who ate few vegetables. A thick carotid artery wall is associated with a higher risk of stroke, so don’t forget your vegetables.
32 – Go dancing
Any physical activity has a profound anti-aging effect on the body, but it’s dancing in particular that keeps the brain young. Obviously, it’s more effective than endurance training at improving your balance and reversing age-related brain decline. Plus, it’s a lot more fun!
33 – Make white tea
White tea is loaded with antioxidants that can prevent cancer and heart disease. It even prevents the breakdown of elastic and collagen, protecting skin from wrinkles and other damage. And that’s not all!
34 – Buy yourself a nice gym wardrobe
Every woman (and even some men) knows that details are important for feeling good, like a good haircut. And the same goes for a good outfit: what we wear can psychologically affect our actions, which means pretty workout clothes will translate into a better workout.
35 – Stay positive
Don’t think your body doesn’t notice when you’re feeling optimistic. Optimistic people generally live longer. Keeping calm and carrying on could well be the secret to outliving everyone.
36 – Never go to bed angry
Falling asleep in a fit of anger is no mean feat, but it can also damage your health… and your relationship.
37 – Makefriends with your colleagues
We spend a third of our lives working. So the least we can do is make friends with whom we can enjoy the ride. What’s more, researchers at Tel Aviv University conducted a 20-year study and found that subjects with the most support at work lived longer. Those who isolated themselves at work were more than twice as likely to die over the same two-year period. So be nice to your colleagues in their forties!
38 – Go skiing
Who says you can’t have new hobbies in your forties? Skiing is fun, active and can increase your metabolism. Working out and being out in the cold raises levels of a fat-controlling hormone that improves metabolic levels.
39 – Smile!
Smile as if your life depended on it! A 2010 study examined the smile intensity and frequency of baseball players from the 1950s and found that those who smiled in their photos (and meant it) lived an average of seven years longer.
40 – Don‘t forget to drink water
Doctors recommend 9 to 13 glasses of water a day. And as we age, we need to pay particular attention to this advice. Research has shown that staying hydrated can reduce your risk of heart disease by 60%.
