5 Best Exercises for a Longer Life: How Walking, Dancing and More Can Help With Longevity

You don’t need to join a gym to stay healthy and active. Experts recommend these five exercises to help live a longer life.

Walk of Life

According to the Mayo Clinic, taking regular brisk walks can add years to your life. “[Walking helps to] maintain a healthy weight, prevent or manage various conditions — including heart disease, high blood pressure, cancer and type 2 diabetes — improve your mood, cognition, memory and sleep. It also strengthens the immune system [and] reduces stress and tension.”

Jump to It

Whether it’s jumping jacks, jumping rope or bouncing on a mini-trampoline, the experts at MedicineNet say, “The benefits of jumping include improved cardiovascular health, metabolism, bone density, strength, muscle tone, balance and coordination”— all of which are important for adding years to your life.

Bust a Move

“Dance has far-reaching health benefits,” explains Dr. Alycia Fong Yan, a longevity researcher with the University of Sydney. “[Its] long term physical health benefits will reduce the risk of health conditions related to sedentary behavior, [and] the social-connectedness and psychological effect of dance will alleviate the symptoms of mental health conditions.”

Make a Splash

“It’s well known that swimming is one of the best exercises for longevity,” point out the folks with the lifespan brand Purovitalis. “It’s a full-body workout. [And] when you move your body through water, it’s more challenging than moving it through the air. One of the top benefits of swimming is that it doesn’t feel as challenging as it is, so you can have a lot of fun.”

Tie Into Tai Chi

As Harvard Medical School explains: “This gentle form of exercise can help maintain strength, flexibility and balance, and could be the perfect activity for the rest of your life. [Plus] there is growing evidence that this mind-body practice has value in treating or preventing many health problems [associated with aging].”