"Unlike lifespan, which simply measures how long someone is likely to live, healthy life expectancy refers to how long a person can expect to live in good health - free from chronic illness, disability or cognitive decline."
"And this is a measure we have a little more control over, experts say, with small changes from exercising daily to staying socially connected and prioritising sleep making a big difference to how we age."
"For people in their 80s, socialising every day has been shown to more than half the risk of dying in the next five years - something to remember next time you cancel plans."
"Previous studies have shown that loneliness - which has become somewhat of an epidemic in the UK - can trigger genetic changes which lead to illness, by triggering the fight or flight response."
Life expectancy in the UK has risen by about a decade since the 1960s, and some longevity experts suggest people who reach 150 may already be born. Longer lifespan does not guarantee good health, because healthy life expectancy measures years lived free from chronic illness, disability, and cognitive decline. Experts say healthy aging is influenced by modifiable habits, including daily exercise, staying socially connected, and prioritising sleep. Socialising regularly is linked to lower risk of dying within the next five years, and even occasional socialising can reduce premature death risk. Loneliness can trigger biological changes through the fight-or-flight response, increasing illness risk.
Read at Mail Online
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