logo
This Daily Habit Can Add Years To Your Life, According to Doctors

This Daily Habit Can Add Years To Your Life, According to Doctors

Yahoo15-07-2025
This Daily Habit Can Add Years To Your Life, According to Doctors originally appeared on Parade.
When it comes to longevity, you likely already know that diet and exercise play a major role. Consistently getting enough sleep, not smoking or vaping and knowing how to effectively manage stress all matter too. In fact, collectively, all of these habits play a more important role when it comes to longevity than genetics. That's powerful! There's another habit that scientific research has also shown can add years to one's life and it's not talked about very much. Keep reading to find out what it is and how to integrate it into your life.🩺SIGN UP for tips to stay healthy & fit with the top moves, clean eats, health trends & more delivered right to your inbox twice a week💊
According to scientific research, people who routinely practice gratitude tend to live longer than those who don't practice gratitude. 'Gratitude is one of the most powerful and accessible tools we have to regulate our physiology, which can absolutely enhance longevity,' says Dr. Darshan Shah, MD, a longevity expert and surgeon at Next Health.Dr. Shah explains that a positive mindset driven by gratitude has the power to shift someone from a stress state into a parasympathetic rest-and-repair state. 'When we're in the parasympathetic state, our cortisol levels are low, inflammation reduces, and our heart rate variability increases. These biomarkers are closely connected to better health outcomes and increased lifespan,' he says.
Related:
Dr. Christine Gibson, MD, a family medicine doctor and trauma therapist, says this too. 'Gratitude is really about focusing attention on the positive. When we do this, we are lowering stress levels and helping our parasympathetic system. [This can] lower blood pressure, improve immunity and lower multiple risk factors that could be harmful,' she explains.
Both doctors say that living a life constantly feeling stressed, angry or on high alert instead of grateful can be devastating for health. 'When we are stressed, it tends to activate the fight-or-flight response. This is correlated to high blood pressure and high heart rate. Studies show that gratitude lowers inflammatory response and improves cardiovascular health,' Dr. Gibson says.Related:
Dr. Shah echoes this, saying that human biology is designed to survive and perform under short bursts of stress; not live with it 24/7. 'Chronic stress and anger keep the body in a persistent fight-or-flight state, which wreaks havoc over time on nearly every system in the body—especially the cardiovascular system. High levels of stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline increase blood pressure, damage blood vessels and raise the risk of strokes and heart attacks,' he says.Related:
While scientific research does show a connection between gratitude and longevity, Dr. Gibson says that it's important to note that some people are predispositioned to be naturally grateful more than others. If someone experienced childhood trauma or is experiencing hardship, gratitude may not come as naturally to them as it does to someone who has lived a comparatively easier life. While anyone can practice gratitude, it's important to remember that it may be harder for some than others.
'Gratitude is a privilege. There are many people who aren't getting their foundational needs met and it is more difficult for them to focus on the practice. If you don't feel physically or psychologically safe or have adequate food or shelter, this is a more challenging practice. It's not impossible, but it's definitely challenging,' Dr. Gibson says.
Related:
Want to put this free, life-lengthening habit into practice? Both doctors have some tips. Dr. Shah recommends tweaking your morning routine with gratitude in mind. Instead of waking up and immediately grabbing your phone, he recommends going for a walk around the neighborhood. 'This alone will boost your mood and contribute to a regulated circadian rhythm, which makes gratitude feel more natural,' he says.
Listing three things you are grateful for mentally or on paper can help set a positive tone for the day, both experts say. Both doctors say this is also a great way to end the day too.
As you go about your day, Dr. Shah recommends actively noting what you are grateful for as it happens. This could look like being grateful for a cup of coffee as you sip it, for your pet as you feed them or for having a paying job as you start your workday. This may not come naturally at first, but the more you do it, the easier it becomes.
Dr. Gibson recommends actively sharing with others how grateful you are for them as a powerful way to practice gratitude. It will enrich not only your life, but theirs as well!
As this mindset becomes your default, Dr. Shah says it not only has the power to lengthen life, but also makes life more enjoyable. There is no downside to making a mindful effort to be more grateful. You just may inspire others to appreciate things a little more too.
Up Next:Dr. Darshan Shah, MD, longevity expert and surgeon at Next Health
Dr. Christine Gibson, MD, family medicine doctor and trauma therapist
This Daily Habit Can Add Years To Your Life, According to Doctors first appeared on Parade on Jul 15, 2025
This story was originally reported by Parade on Jul 15, 2025, where it first appeared.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Can Dopamine Fasts Improve Your Focus, Sleep And Sex Drive?
Can Dopamine Fasts Improve Your Focus, Sleep And Sex Drive?

Forbes

time7 minutes ago

  • Forbes

Can Dopamine Fasts Improve Your Focus, Sleep And Sex Drive?

Photo by Mike Kemp/In Pictures via Getty Images If motivation feels harder to access, sex drive has dipped, or attention span is fleeting, dopamine could be the missing piece. Dopamine, often dubbed the "motivation molecule," is paramount to how we experience pleasure, learn new behaviors and pursue goals. But in our hyper-digitized world, we may be numbing the very system we rely on to feel engaged, alive and alert. From endless algorithmic feeds to reward-chasing behaviors like texting, swiping and doomscrolling, we are unknowingly participating in what some researchers now call "neural hijacking." A 2025 study in Current Biology suggests that the average adult receives more than 300 digital dopamine hits per day, microbursts of pleasure and novelty that, over time, dull the brain's sensitivity to natural rewards, such as movement, connection, rest and intimacy. The result? A modern epidemic of anhedonia, burnout, sexual apathy and disrupted circadian rhythms, among others. The term "dopamine fasting" may sound like a trend, but its roots lie in fundamental neurobiology. The mesolimbic dopamine pathway, particularly the nucleus accumbens and prefrontal cortex, plays a crucial role in reward anticipation, habit formation and emotional resilience. When overstimulated, this circuit becomes desensitized, leading to what Stanford psychiatry professor Dr. Anna Lembke refers to as the "dopamine deficit state." "Every time we flood the reward pathway, our brain adapts by downregulating dopamine receptors," Dr. Lembke writes in her 2021 book Dopamine Nation. "Eventually, we need more stimulation just to feel normal, and the absence of stimulation begins to feel like pain." Recent research from the University of Zurich (2024) demonstrated that a five-day reduction in high-dopamine behaviors restored baseline reward sensitivity in participants, who reported: This aligns with findings from the Journal of Psychosomatic Research, which observed that even brief digital abstinence can improve parasympathetic tone, reduce perceived stress and help re-regulate hormonal rhythms, such as cortisol and melatonin. Contrary to popular belief, a dopamine fast is not about eliminating dopamine itself, a neurotransmitter essential for survival, but instead reducing unnatural overstimulation that hijacks the brain's reward loop. Dr. Cameron Sepah, the clinical psychologist who popularized the concept in Silicon Valley, defines dopamine fasting as a "behavioral intervention that restricts impulsive reward-seeking behaviors to allow neurochemical rebalancing." That includes: Instead, the reset invites people to reconnect with low-dopamine, high-meaning experiences, such as creativity, genuine human connection, nature, stillness and analog pleasures. The result? A more finely tuned nervous system, better boundaries and a return to self-led desire. When digital stimulation is reduced, profound shifts often occur across mind-body systems. That's because dopamine doesn't operate in isolation. It modulates other neurohormones that influence everything from libido to cognition. Here's how: This science-informed protocol draws from clinical insights, behavior change models and circadian biology. It's designed not as deprivation but as repatterning, allowing your brain to remember how to enjoy life offline. Day 1: Reclaim Your Mornings Day 2: Set Up Boundaries, Not Bans Day 3: Create A Pleasure Rewire Day 4: Strengthen Connection Circuits Day 5: Reflect, Recalibrate, Recommit In a world hyper-focused on high performance and instant gratification, digital dopamine resets might offer a radical act of restoration. They can remind us that pleasure doesn't have to be fast, loud or filtered to be fulfilling. However, what we're really detoxing from isn't dopamine; it's disconnection from ourselves and our inner mental and emotional ecosystems. Whether you're a founder, a creative, a parent, or a burnout survivor, learning to manage your reward system is one of the most profound and revolutionary skills of the modern age. Remember, unplugging for a few days won't change the world. But it might just change how you show up in it: awake, aware and fully alive.

‘I'm 53-Years-Old With Six-Pack Abs—Here's My Exact Weekly Workout Routine'
‘I'm 53-Years-Old With Six-Pack Abs—Here's My Exact Weekly Workout Routine'

Yahoo

time20 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

‘I'm 53-Years-Old With Six-Pack Abs—Here's My Exact Weekly Workout Routine'

'I'm 53-Years-Old With Six-Pack Abs—Here's My Exact Weekly Workout Routine' originally appeared on Parade. Walter Gjergja has always been active. As a teen and young adult, he practiced martial arts, competing at an elite level. But in his 30s, he noticed that his performance was stalling, despite a dedicated training schedule.'In your 30s, speed, power and flexibility start declining slightly and then in your 40s, there's a substantial change in metabolism and recovery,' Gjergja says, adding that he experienced these changes first-hand as he moved through his 40s and into his explains that he has seen many people in their 50s de-prioritize fitness, assuming they just can't be as active anymore. He didn't want to do that. But he also knew that he couldn't keep working out the way he used to in his 20s. Here, he shares what his workout routine is now and how he's using AI to help others achieve their health goals.🩺SIGN UP for tips to stay healthy & fit with the top moves, clean eats, health trends & more delivered right to your inbox twice a week💊 'I'm 53-Years-Old With a Six-Pack—Here's My Weekly Workout Routine' Before seeing what Gjergja's workout routine is, it's important to know that just because this routine works for him, it's not for everyone. Gjergja spends 1.5 hours working out every day, which he says is too intense for those who aren't used to being as active. 'Start where you are and work up from there,' he mentioned, Gjergja works out an hour and a half every day—that is, unless something organically comes up. 'I don't build days off into my workout schedule because I find that they happen naturally because life happens,' he says. 'Family plans come up, traveling…So I just always have the intention of working out every day and my days off happen as life unfolds.'Gjergja structures his workouts into three sections: cardio, strength training, and mobility and flexibility. They aren't always the same length, but he says he hits every area each Cardio Typically, Gjergja does 45 minutes of cardio a day. 'Cardio fitness is important for daily activities, like being able to chase your kids or grandkids around,' he says. Often, Gjergja says he'll get his cardio in by going on a 45-minute top of his 45-minute cardio workout, Gjergja shares that he tries to work as much movement into his day as possible, which serves as smaller bursts of cardio. This can look like, for example, taking the stairs instead of the elevator or parking a block away from somewhere he needs to Strength training Since Gjergja does some form of strength training every single day, he varies how he does it to prevent overworking his muscles. For example, he says that on Mondays, he does pushing exercises, like bench presses, overhead presses and dumbbell lateral raises. The next day, he'll do pulling exercises, like pull-ups, bicep curls and deadlifts. The day after that, he'll focus on core strength. Then, the cycle repeats. 'I push every rep until I'm close to failure on the last rep,' he Mobility and flexibility This is the part of fitness that Gjergja says many people neglect, but it's increasingly important with age. 'When we are kids, we have a lot of flexibility. Think about how a baby can put their foot in their mouth. But with age, we become more rigid and stiff. That's why flexibility exercises are so important,' he explains. Related: How He's Using AI To Help Others Achieve Their Health Goals As a former athlete, Gjergja knows more than the average person about fitness. He also studied exercise physiology at Stanford University and is a Shaolin Master, trained at a temple in China. With the help of technology developers, he created Zing Coach, an app that uses AI to help people reach their fitness explains that Zing Coach creates a personalized training program based on the individual's current health, what their goals are and how they prefer to be motivated. (For some people, it's all tough love, but others prefer gentle encouragement.) One way Gjergja says that people can track their progress is through the app's virtual body composition scan. 'This is more accurate than using a scale because you can be losing fat, but gaining muscle,' he app can also measure flexibility. 'You put the screen far enough away where it can see your whole body and then move through some guided exercises. From there, it will tell you what you can do to improve flexibility and feel better in your body,' he says. Nutrition advice is also a cornerstone of the app. Users can take photos of their meals and the app can estimate what the nutrient and calorie content is, then offer recommendations related to their health goals. 'I primarily use Zing to track my workouts and progress,' Gjergja says, explaining how he uses it himself. His Advice for Getting Fit After 50 If you are 50 or older and want to start being more active but aren't sure how to get started, Gjergja recommends starting small. 'Maybe it's just moving your body for 15 or 20 minutes a day and gradually working up from there,' he of focusing on aesthetics, Gjergja says to think about how you want to feel. 'Instead of focusing on wanting six-pack abs, more muscle-toned arms or wanting to weigh less, focus on wanting to feel more energized so you can go hiking with your spouse or play with your kids, for example. Aesthetics and fitness are not the same. If you prioritize feeling more fit, the aesthetics will come anyway,' he explains. Gjergja also reiterates the importance of moving throughout the day (not just sitting around all day and then heading to the gym for a strenuous workout) and also prioritizing eating nutrient-rich foods. 'A workout at the end of the day doesn't make up for spending the rest of the day sitting,' Gjergja says. One way that he says can help with working more movement into your day is spending 60 seconds every hour doing one type of exercise, such as squats or push-ups. Over the course of the day, these mini workouts add up! Most importantly, he says to just get started. Start small, but start today. Over time, you may be amazed to see how far you come. Up Next:'I'm 53-Years-Old With Six-Pack Abs—Here's My Exact Weekly Workout Routine' first appeared on Parade on Jul 26, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Jul 26, 2025, where it first appeared.

Pharma sector outlook as Trump's drug tariff deadline looms
Pharma sector outlook as Trump's drug tariff deadline looms

Yahoo

time34 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Pharma sector outlook as Trump's drug tariff deadline looms

Pharmaceutical stocks are in focus as President Trump's drug tariff deadline looms. Yahoo Finance Senior Reporter Anjalee Khemlani joins Market Domination with Josh Lipton to discuss the impact that pharmaceutical tariffs could have on the sector, Astrazeneca's (AZN) $50 billion commitment to US investments, and how the industry is navigating pressure from Washington and shifting global demand. To watch more expert insights and analysis on the latest market action, check out more Market Domination here. Pharmaceutical stocks in focus as we approach President Trump's looming drug tariff deadline. For more, I want to bring in Yahoo Finance senior health reporter Angelique Chenge. That's right, Josh. With that looming deadline, potentially August 1st, for up to 200% in tariffs, we don't know what that number will actually end up being. We've heard from several companies that have announced manufacturing commitments in hopes to thwart that effort. That includes AstraZeneca. We spoke to CEO Pascal Soriot about that, and he did mention that the announcement for $50 billion, that's in addition to $3.5 billion last year, is in part a response to Trump's tariffs. We know others like Eli Lilly and Johnson & Johnson have also announced similarly big announcements of commitments for manufacturing. And this is in play at a time where the industry is also going through a bit of tumult. We know that there is a lot of investment in one of Trump's least favorite countries, that is China. That is the reason why there has been a lot of tension in the biotech world. We also know that big pharma has been pivoting and investing there as well. Licensing deals and the like are on the rise as they look to sort of respond to all the different countries that are looking for what has now been termed health sovereignty. And this plays into that. So, when I asked Pascal about that, about China and the deal making there, here's what he had to say about it. We believe that it's our ethical responsibility to bring medicines to as many people as possible. Of course, there are limitations to what we can do, but we work very hard to do this. And we are lucky enough or good enough or both, that we are growing. And growth brings opportunities. And because we are growing, we are able to invest in United States for the United States, we're able to invest in China for China, and we're also able to seek innovation where it happens. Because actually, if innovation happens in China or in Europe, we need to take this innovation, develop it, and bring it to patients for instance in the United States, but manufacture the product in the United States. Um, and I think that brings me to an important point that people don't talk enough about is that today innovation in our industry takes place in the U.S. U.S. is the biggest innovator for biopharmaceuticals. And it's really important that everything is done to protect that innovation. It's a fantastic engine to bring new medicines to patients but also create good jobs, well-paid jobs, and economic growth. So, as you can hear, a lot of focus on that, on economic growth being the driver as well and needing to respond to these countries and their efforts. AstraZeneca also talked about how it would help shift revenues for the portfolio with a greater reliance on the U.S. Currently, 42% of revenues comes from the U.S. And with this increase in manufacturing, it would be 50%. And that includes GLP-1s. We know that there's a lot of global demand for that drug and for those types of drugs. AstraZeneca has been pursuing an oral form or pill form, which is largely seen as the next frontier in this space. AstraZeneca looking at being able to then supply the rest of the world from the U.S., making it a larger exporter. So, here's what Pascal said about that. It's also a reason, another reason why we are investing in this very large facility. We have our oral GLP-1. Everybody knows GLP-1 by now. These are agents used to help people manage their weight. We have an oral agent, and we have bet on oral agents because we think they are going to be easier for patients, because they will be cheaper, they'll be more accessible, and we will be able to export them around the world, not only supply America. But we also have other products treating cardiovascular metabolic disease. We have a new agent for hypertension for patients who are not controlled on multi-medicines. We have an oral PCSK9 for the control of cholesterol and many others. Cardiovascular metabolic diseases are the biggest killer in the world today, including in the United States. So, you can see the needs are enormous. This plant will supply products for American patients, so American patients will access products that are American-made. But this plant will also export to the billions of patients around the world who need these medicines. The company really moving that pot of money, you know, globally and looking at where it makes the most sense. Pascal also did tell me that in looking at the different areas of the world where the money can be, you know, invested, China, of course, being one of them. And then if you compare the amount that has been put in there, that is $5.3 billion is one of the latest deals that AstraZeneca has done in China. And if you compare that to the $50 billion, while not on the same level, you can still see it's quite a large number. And that's just one of those deals. So, we're starting to see a little bit of bifurcation in how the global pharmaceutical economy is functioning. Related Videos Uncertainty is 'here to stay': What that means for markets BlackRock's Rick Rieder: I Think Rates Can Come Down Elon Musk's 'master plan': Is Tesla an EV maker or AI play? 'We ask for more data' than FICO: VantageScore CEO Sign in to access your portfolio

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store