Dr. Mosley reveals the "key to a longer life," which involves sitting!

WHEN it comes to boosting your longevity, the obvious tweaks involve a healthy diet and lifestyle habits. However, Dr. Michael Mosley, a British television journalist, producer, presenter, and former doctor, who has worked for the BBC since 1985, has shared that a completely different and relaxing activity could actually be the "key to a longer life". Furthermore, all you have to do is sit back, relax and read.

Lifestyle habits like eating vegetables and exercise play a major role in your overall health as well as longevity. However, speaking on his podcast “Just One Thing”, Dr Mosley said: “It's about an hour before bedtime, and I'm about to do something that should increase my empathy and boost my mental health. It could even help me live longer.” The doctor is about to begin reading.

Flipping through the pages of your favorite book while getting lost in the story is not only a fun pastime, but it also helps you live longer. Dr. Mosley affirmed: “Get this, reading not only helps keep you mentally fit as you age, it could even be the key to a longer life.”

A large-scale study conducted by the Yale University School of Public Health found that people who read books for at least 30 minutes a day lived, on average, nearly two years longer than nonreaders. This effect persisted even after controlling for factors like gender, education and health.

Dr. Raymond Mar, a professor of Psychology at York University, was also invited by the podcaster, to discuss the science behind being a bookworm. Dr. Mar said: “There's a couple of very fascinating studies in which researchers have followed older adults and what they found was that individuals who spent more time leisure reading actually live longer.”

More than 3,500 Americans over the age of 50 were studied in one research. The researchers discovered that those who enjoyed reading books had a 20% lower risk of death.

"This benefit they observed for reading books was not observed to the same degree for other types of sedentary activities," Dr. Mar explained. “We don't know why this is the case, and there are some intriguing aspects to it. This reduced mortality is not observed to the same extent when people read newspapers or magazines."

According to various studies, reading books regularly strengthens brain connections, improves memory and concentration, and may help you live longer. Reading can also help to alleviate stress and postpone the onset of age-related cognitive decline. Reading involves two major cognitive processes: deep reading and emotional connection. Deep reading is a slow process in which the reader engages with the book and seeks to comprehend it both within its own context and in relation to the outside world. Empathizing with the characters improves social perception and emotional intelligence.

Dr. Mosley proposed one theory that could explain why reading is so powerful. According to studies, people who are socially engaged live longer lives. "Perhaps people develop relationships with characters in the book because they empathize with them," the doctor speculated. If you want to read by the book, you must follow these guidelines.

Dr. Mar recommended that you make reading a habit, even if it's just "small bite-sized chunks" every day. Furthermore, it makes no difference what genre you choose as long as you enjoy it and don't feel compelled to do so.

To get into the habit of reading before bed, Dr. Mosley suggested spending 30 minutes before bed reading. "I love getting lost in stories," the podcaster concluded. "But if this isn't something you're already doing, give it a shot. Your brain, empathy, and even your mental health may benefit from this. Not to mention your longevity."