Habits that slow down the aging process

Biohacking is not only about supplements, it is a combination of all the tools that improve our lives. And also biohacking is a healthy and comfortable old age, so to speak, laying down a “straw” for the future. In this article I looked at habits that slow down aging.

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The longer the telomeres, the longer we live

What are telomeres?

Telomeres are a region of repeated DNA sequences at the end of a chromosome. To put it simply, these are the end sections of chromosomes that protect them from sticking together and damage.

Over the course of our lives, telomeres become shorter. This is a natural process that begins when our cells divide. When telomeres become too short, cells die. The length of telomeres is given to us from birth, it is laid down by genetics, we cannot increase their length, but we can significantly slow down their shortening YES. At the same time, you don’t need any Herculean efforts and huge financial costs for your health; it’s enough to adhere to certain habits, which we’ll talk about below.

Sleep and longevity

Two independent research confirm that the quality and duration of sleep influence the main biological factor of longevity – telomeres. Poor sleep quality, especially short sleep duration or low sleep efficiency, was associated with faster longitudinal shortening telomere.

According to these studies, people who sleep less than six hours a night, suffer from insomnia, or sleep more than eight hours were associated with short telomeres. The longest telomeres were in people who slept six to eight hours a night.

Sleep latency (how long it takes you to fall asleep) is another measure of telomere length.

Telomeres shortened faster when sleep latency was 25 minutes. The slowest telomere shortening was observed in a group of people who took just 10 minutes to fall asleep.

A study of longevity and sleep parameters showed that the best sleep time is from 21:57 to 1:06. The best time to wake up is from 6:55 to 8:52.

Results of another research showed that those who tried to compensate for chronic lack of sleep and slept 3-4 hours during the day were 2.79 times more likely to experience one or more of the following diseases: hypertension (high blood pressure), myocardial infarction (heart attack ), stroke or diabetes.

Circadian rhythm disturbance is the main problem of the modern generation.

Diet and longevity

Most studies have combined the mitochondrial and telomeric mechanisms of aging and established a direct molecular link between telomere attrition and mitochondrial dysfunction.

One of the reasons why our mitochondria lack energy and telomeres shorten is due to poor nutrition.

Therefore, experiments were conducted to study the effects of the most common antioxidant compounds found in foods, such as vitamins, minerals, polyphenols and omega fatty acids – 3/6to prevent telomere shortening and slow down the aging process.

At the moment, most nutritionists and doctors agree that exactly Mediterranean the diet is the most suitable to provide all human needs.

I will also separately note several substances that slow down the aging process.

Magnesium

Magnesium deficiency reduces the ability to repair DNA and causes chromosomal abnormalities. Magnesium influences telomere length by affecting DNA integrity and repair. Many doctors recommend supplementing with organic magnesium instead of inorganic magnesium due to better bioavailability. The best forms of magnesium are threonate, bis-glycinate and chelate.

Polyphenols

Green and black tea contain many polyphenols, which have a positive effect on telomere length. Older people who regularly drink tea have longer telomeres, which corresponds to an average 5-7 year increase in life expectancy, compared to their peers who rarely drink tea.

From the group of polyphenols, still important resveratrol, which activates longevity genes called sirtuins. Contained in grapes, green leaves, berries.

Resveratrol delays aging at the cellular level, increases telomere length and telomerase activity.

Omega 3

Clinical trials show, that it is not omega-3 itself that is important, but the ratio of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, since telomere length increases in a ratio of 1:3. Omega does not reduce the risk of CVD, this has already been proven, but in general, taking omega 3 from various foods gives very positive results. The difficulty in producing omega 3 is purifying fish oil from other fractions, so if you choose a supplement, find out all the details from the manufacturer and request a declaration of conformity.

In conclusion on diet

In a 2018 meta-analysis, a total of 13,733 participants from 5 countries were studied. And the people who sat on Mediterranean diettelomere length was higher, with an average of 5~6 additional years of life, which is almost comparable to the effect of quitting smoking of 4.6 years.

Another important fact is the number of calories. The less we eat, the longer we live. A simple but objective mechanism. The body spends less energy on processing food, because in fact we need little to feel comfortable, but taste irritants, all sorts of delights, and now we leave the table with a full belly.

Sports and longevity

A large meta-analysis shows that high physical activity maintains telomere lengthskeletal muscle health versus sedentary lifestyle.

From studies, there is a difference between telomere length in participants who are physically active and those who are not. Average telomere length was significantly higher in participants who were currently active.

Weight training (bodybuilding, gymnastics), endurance (cycling, jogging) and other sports showed fairly similar patterns, while those involved in more intense activities (professional sports, long-distance running) showed length values telomeres were slightly higher. But here it is important to understand that professional sports often bring with them injuries, so play sports for yourself.

Any physical activity is important for our body. By the way, in the same study they noticed that playing sports for more than 10 years significantly affects the relative length of telomeres. Therefore, the sooner you start, the better.

Cold-heat therapy and longevity

Exposure to cold water/air improves recovery from traumatic injuries, increases metabolic activity, reduces the incidence of cancer.

Cold therapy reduces tension and fatigue. Improves memory and mooddue to the release of large amounts of dopamine, and also reduces the oxidative process in the body.

The second benefit of this therapy is that exposure to cold can increase the amount of brown fat. Brown fat speeds up metabolism, producing additional energy.

Heat therapy is also a good factor for longevity. One of the most famous heat treatment methods is the sauna. When you are exposed to controlled heat at temperatures between 80 and 100 degrees Celsius, so-called “heat shock” proteins, chaperones, which are associated with duration and quality of life, through interaction with telomeres.

It is recommended to visit the sauna once a week, combining sauna use with exposure to low temperatures. But cryo and heat therapy also have their contraindications, so if you are planning to dive into an ice hole or take a steam bath, it would be better to know the state of your body or consult a doctor.

Less stress – longer life

It’s simple here: the less stress in our lives, the better and longer our lives. And here we mean prolonged, severe stress, which leads to decreased immunity, exacerbation of diseases, and decreased cognitive function.

Stress is the number one negative factor affecting longevity and life expectancy.

Stress is harmful even at a very early age. Research has shown that pregnant women exposed to severe stress gave birth to newborns with very short telomeres.

In subjects with high level perceived stress, telomeres are on average shorter than those of people who experience less stress. This is equivalent to at least one decade of additional aging compared to people with low stress levels.

Eat research, which demonstrate that people who meditate have longer telomeres. You can also relieve stress using breathing techniques, meditation, supplements, doing what you love (reading, sports, etc.)

conclusions

So what is the secret to longevity and a comfortable old age?

• Follow a Mediterranean diet, take supplements, reduce your calorie intake

• Play sports, the more active the better

• Go to the bathhouse, sauna, douse yourself with cold water

• Reduce your stress levels with the right tools for you

In fact, all these points are not difficult to follow, but adding new habits to your life is not easy. Therefore, do everything gradually so that it brings you benefit and pleasure. Be healthy and happy)