Although the fountain of youth may not exist, both men and women want to find ways to remain youthful and increase their longevity. It may be impossible to age, but there are still ways to thrive and feel young with each year that passes. To increase your lifespan and health, there are a few personal health practices to follow.

Get More Sleep

You can increase your chances of living longer by getting more sleep throughout the night. Sleep deprivation can occur when you get five hours of sleep or less each night, which can lead to conditions that include obesity, cancer, high blood pressure, and heart disease. Make it a goal to sleep seven to nine hours each night, which will reduce your risk of dying earlier in life by 12 percent.

Lose Weight

Most adults have attempted to lose weight and shed excess fat that they’ve accumulated due to a sedentary lifestyle or a bad diet. Although it can be easy to yo-yo diet, you’ll have more success with your weight loss goals by obtaining the help from trained professionals at weight loss clinics. Some companies, like Chicago Weight Loss Clinic, know that having a specific plan to follow with a clean diet and an exercise schedule that you can follow throughout the week will help create more accountability. That allows you to have a better chance at being successful. The weight loss goals will be realistic and specific to your body type to ensure that you can achieve results at a steady pace.

Exercise the Brain

Keep your brain challenged by practicing new activities or learning a second language. Practice cognitive games and seek out new experiences to sharpen your brain and allow it to thrive long-term. This will prevent cognitive decline as you age and can avoid dementia or Alzheimer’s disease from developing in your senior years.

Control Stress

You may not be able to avoid stress completely, but you can still control it by staying physically active and practicing breathing techniques. It’s also important to take breaks every few hours during the workday to refocus and allow yourself to breathe, which will increase your productivity throughout the day and avoid burnout.

You may not be in complete control of how long you live, but there are still ways to increase your lifespan and reduce the risk of certain diseases or ailments from developing. By taking healthy steps, you can increase your emotional and physical well-being while living a more fulfilled lifestyle.