Maintaining physical health through regular exercise, a balanced diet, and sufficient sleep is widely recognized as essential for longevity. However, emotional health is equally critical. Our thoughts, feelings, and actions significantly influence every aspect of our lives, including how we perceive and interact with ourselves and others. While a long-term, serious relationship isn’t a prerequisite for a happy and fulfilling life, recent research suggests that men, in particular, may benefit from having a lifelong partner.

A 2024 study published in a journal reveals that married men are four times more likely to experience “successful aging” compared to their single counterparts. The data indicates that marital status significantly impacts physical health, mental health, and social well-being, especially among men.

“Little is known about the relationship between marital trajectories in old age and successful aging. Our goal was to see whether different marital trajectories were associated with physical health and well-being, and whether these relationships varied for men and women,” explained social work doctoral graduate and lead author Mabel Ho in a press release, per Study Finds.

The study involved 7,641 participants aged 60 and older from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA), all of whom met the criteria for “aging successfully.” These criteria encompassed physical wellness, psychological and emotional wellness, social wellness, and self-rated wellness.

“Successful agers” did not experience limitations or chronic pain that hindered exercise, nor did they have a history of depression, anxiety, memory issues, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Their social wellness was deemed healthy if they had “someone to confide in or talk to about themselves or their problems at least most of the time.” Additionally, these participants rated their aging process as “good” to “excellent.”

The 7,641 respondents were categorized into seven groups based on marital status: (1) never-married, (2) continuously married, (3) continuously widowed, (4) continuously divorced or separated, (5) from not married to married, (6) from married to not married, and (7) other changes.

Of the participants, 70 percent were considered “successful agers.” However, when the data was analyzed by marital status among men, it was evident that most successful agers were married or newly married. This suggests that love might be a crucial factor for longevity.

“Continuously married or newly married older adults had a higher rate of successful aging than their never-married, widowed, divorced, or separated counterparts,” the study authors wrote.

Quantitatively, men who were continuously married or became married were approximately 3.8 times more likely to experience “successful aging” than single men.

“Previous studies have shown that marriage is associated with better health outcomes for both men and women, while men who were never married generally had the poorest health outcomes,” said University of Toronto professor David Burnes, who also serves as research chair at the college’s Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work.

While further research is needed to fully understand the correlation between marital status and longevity, Burnes hypothesizes that companionship plays a significant role.

“It may be that married people encourage each other to adopt or maintain positive health behaviors such as quitting smoking or exercising regularly,” he reasoned.

Let us know what you think, please share your thoughts in the comments below.

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How we start the morning doesn’t just impact the rest of the day—it can change our lives, especially when it comes to health and longevity. One study showed that adopting a few good habits could add 24 years to your life. “There’s a 20-year period in which you can make these changes, whether you do it gradually or all at once,“ lead study author Xuan-Mai Nguyen, a health science specialist for the Million Veteran Program at the VA Boston Healthcare System, tells us. “We also did an analysis to see if we eliminated people with type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, stroke, cancer, and the like, does it change the outcome? And it really didn’t. So, if you start off with chronic diseases, making changes does still help.” No matter your age, it’s never too late to make changes that will yield long-term benefits—and while it isn’t always easy, it is straightforward. Here are simple morning habits that can add years to your life, according to experts.

Prioritize Quality Sleep

The importance of sleep on health and wellness cannot be overstated. Research shows men who get enough sleep live five years longer than those who don’t.

“Sleep is restorative,” cardiologist Virend Somers, MD, PhD, tells Mayo Clinic Press. “During sleep, your brain and body perform many critical tasks important for overall health.”

People who don’t get enough sleep have been shown to have higher blood pressure.

“That’s how powerful sleep deprivation can be,” says Dr. Somers. “Even when a sleep-deprived person is able to sleep deeply, blood pressure is still higher.”

Exercise First Thing in the Morning

Exercise is one of the most significant behavioral factors for health and longevity—even a small workout yields benefits. Working out first thing in the morning is ideal, as you have it out of the way early.

“Morning workouts help reduce the possibility for obstacles to present themselves,” Jasmin Theard, ACSM HFS, tells Piedmont Health. “There is also less opportunity to make excuses.”

When you get up and exercise, you establish a healthier mindset, which makes you more mindful of what you eat during the day.

Eat a Protein-Filled Breakfast

Diet is very important when it comes to longevity. Eating a protein-filled breakfast encourages satiety and could help prevent you from making unhealthy food choices for the rest of the day.

“Eating a diet that’s rich in protein is important for your muscle health,” Allegra Picano, RDN, tells Henry Ford Health. “And the more muscle mass you build, the faster your metabolism is and the easier it is to maintain a healthy weight.”

Practice Meditation

Studies show meditation positively impacts both mental and physical health. Meditation is a very effective method of stress management, which in turn encourages weight loss.

“These benefits don’t end when your meditation session ends,” says the Mayo Clinic. “Meditation can help take you more calmly through your day. And meditation may help you manage symptoms of some medical conditions.”

Avoid Smoking

Starting your day off with a cigarette is one of the worst things you can do for your health.

“Cigarette smoking causes premature death,” says the CDC. “Life expectancy for smokers is at least 10 years shorter than for nonsmokers. Quitting smoking before the age of 40 reduces the risk of dying from smoking-related disease by about 90%.”

Get Some Sunlight and Fresh Air

Going outside in the morning offers incredible health benefits.

“Outdoor daylight and/or sunlight are clearly beneficial to the health of the circadian timing system because of the intensity and spectral composition of the light falling on the eyes,” says Moore-Ede.

“This helps to prevent circadian disruption and thus reduce the risk of multiple diseases, increasing lifespan. So simply going outside each day, without needing to sunbathe or expose large areas of skin, should be part of everyone’s daily routine. As an added plus, if you do it in the morning, before the midday sun, you get the strongest circadian boost and also minimize the risk of skin cancer.”

Plan Your Meals

A healthy diet is so much easier to stick to when you spend a little bit of time preparing your meals—for example, packing a lunch.

“With anything in life, if you fail to plan, you plan to fail. That applies to meal planning as well,” registered dietitian Silvia Veri tells Beaumont Health. “Planning meals and snacks ahead of time increases the chance for success, it increases the likelihood a healthier food choice will be made.”

Take a Morning Walk

Simply taking a walk may add years to your life—and it doesn’t have to be 10,000 steps, experts say.

“It’s always better to get moving at all, and even if it’s only 2,500 steps at first, that’s definitely better than none at all,” Christiane Mensching, a specialist in general medicine, geriatrics, preventive medicine, and health promotion in Berlin, tells us.

“I would recommend incorporating walking naturally into everyday life if possible… Metabolic diseases such as high blood pressure, arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) or diabetes can be improved by movement, or, in the best case, can help us not develop those issues in the first place.”

Making simple changes to your morning routine can have a profound impact on your health and longevity. From prioritizing sleep to taking a morning walk, these habits are easy to incorporate and can add years to your life. So why wait? Start tomorrow morning!

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For those who struggle with heartburn, the foods you choose can significantly impact your comfort. Making informed decisions and steering clear of specific triggers can prevent a day filled with discomfort. Here are seven surprising foods that might be causing your heartburn.

Coffee and Tea

Starting your morning with coffee or tea might set the stage for heartburn.

“If you’re drinking lots of coffee or tea you need to be aware that coffee can increase more acid as well as relax that lower esophageal sphincter, to allow the food to reflux back into the esophagus,” says Alan Mandell, DC.

Soda and Carbonated Beverages

Your favorite fizzy drinks could be contributing to your heartburn. The caffeine in soda is one culprit, but the carbonation itself can also be problematic.

“If you like that soda, be careful because it might have caffeine as well. But the carbonation causes more pressure in the stomach where it will push that food or acid back up into the esophagus, and that can make the condition worse as well,” explains Mandell.

Diet soda, in particular, may be even more harmful.

“This will offset your healthy microbiome, and the carbonation makes acid reflux worse,” notes Janine Bowring, ND.

Spicy Foods

Spicy foods are a well-known trigger for many heartburn sufferers.

“This will slow digestion down and will increase irritation within the esophagus and the stomach,” Mandell agrees.

Fried and Fatty Foods

Highly processed, fried, and fatty foods are best avoided if you suffer from acid reflux.

“Fatty foods will allow foods to stay in your stomach a lot longer. It slows digestion down. It relaxes the lower esophageal sphincter, allowing acid to make its way back up the esophagus, and it will allow the stomach to secrete more acid,” Mandell says.

Tomatoes

Tomatoes, despite their health benefits, can exacerbate heartburn symptoms.

“Tomatoes contain malic and citric acid, which are very acidic and can make that heartburn worse,” cautions Bowring.

Chocolate

Chocolate lovers, beware. This sweet treat can be a significant trigger for heartburn.

Alcohol

Alcohol can relax the lower esophageal sphincter, making it easier for acid to reflux into the esophagus.

“You’re going to want to know your trigger foods, and you’re going to want to eliminate them out of your diet to lower the risk of your having symptoms,” advises Joseph Salhab, MD.

Understanding which foods can cause heartburn is crucial for managing your symptoms. By avoiding these sneaky triggers, you can enjoy more comfortable days and fewer instances of discomfort.

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