{"id":241559,"date":"2025-05-29T16:45:00","date_gmt":"2025-05-29T14:45:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/herway.net\/?p=241559"},"modified":"2025-05-29T11:32:25","modified_gmt":"2025-05-29T09:32:25","slug":"daily-habits-from-the-longest-living-people-on-earth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/herway.net\/it\/daily-habits-from-the-longest-living-people-on-earth\/","title":{"rendered":"19 Daily Habits From The Longest-Living People On Earth"},"content":{"rendered":"

Have you ever met<\/strong><\/strong> someone in their 90s who moves like they\u2019re 60 and talks like they\u2019ve seen it all? <\/strong>I used to think people like that just got lucky. Turns out, there\u2019s more to it\u2014and it\u2019s not all kale smoothies or running marathons. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Real talk: most of us aren\u2019t looking for perfection. <\/strong>We want to wake up feeling better, maybe even stick around long enough to see the world get a little weirder (and hopefully, kinder). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The oldest people on earth didn\u2019t end up that way because they were obsessed with living forever. <\/strong>They just lived on purpose, one habit at a time. Some of their secrets are obvious, some will surprise you, and a few might even piss you off (because, yes, wine is involved). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s pull back the curtain and see what actually works\u2014in the most human, honest way I can share it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Natural Movement Every Day<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Natural
\n \u00a9 Healthline<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

My grandmother never set foot in a gym, but her back garden was her arena. Digging in the dirt, hauling buckets, and walking to the market\u2014she moved all day, just not in leggings or with fancy shoes.

The longest-living people don\u2019t schedule fitness; they build it into their days. They kneel, squat, climb hills, and carry groceries because life asks them to, not because a calendar told them it was leg day. Frankly, it\u2019s less about discipline and more about just living the old-fashioned way.

Ever notice how a walk with someone you love or working with your hands gives your brain a break? Movement that\u2019s part of daily life feels less like a punishment and more like breathing. Maybe that\u2019s why their joints last longer and their smiles stick around.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Plant-Based, Colorful Plates<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Plant-Based,
\n \u00a9 Health<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Bright, messy, and full of flavor\u2014meals in Blue Zones look more like a garden exploded than a beige buffet. People there don\u2019t obsess about protein grams or low-carb trends. They pile up vegetables, beans, fruits, and nuts, with meat as a rare treat.

I once watched a Sardinian grandfather build his lunch: a handful of fava beans, slices of tomato, glugs of olive oil, plus bread still warm from the oven. It was simple, but his hands shook with memory as he ate. Food wasn\u2019t just fuel; it was a tie to every meal before it.

Turns out, color on the plate means vitamins for your cells and joy for your eyes. If you\u2019re bored with dinner, throw in something weird\u2014purple sweet potato, chickpeas, or a fistful of parsley. The oldest among us never settled for bland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Stop Eating When Satisfied (Not Stuffed)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Stop
\n \u00a9 Upworthy<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Have you ever left the table feeling like you needed to lie down and unbutton your jeans? People in Okinawa have a phrase\u2014“Hara Hachi Bu”<\/em>\u2014that basically means: stop eating when you\u2019re about 80% full.

That little pause is everything. It\u2019s not about deprivation; it\u2019s about respect\u2014for your body, for the food, for tomorrow. Every meal becomes a check-in, not a challenge to see how much you can fit in.

I tried this once with pizza. Turns out, the last two slices weren\u2019t as good as I imagined. The oldest people on earth leave the table satisfied, not stuffed. Maybe that\u2019s the real feast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Make Time for Real Friends<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Make
\n \u00a9 Alexandria Stylebook<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Some days, loneliness hit me like a brick. But in places like Nicoya, Costa Rica, you don\u2019t eat alone, you don\u2019t drink coffee alone\u2014you show up for your people.

These friendships aren\u2019t social media \u201clikes.\u201d <\/em>They\u2019re messy, real, sometimes irritating bonds that go back decades. If you break your hip or need someone to watch your grandkids, you know who to call.

They have friends who know their secrets, their scars, and where the good mangoes grow. They talk, hug, argue, and laugh until their bellies ache. Real community is the safety net we rarely admit we need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. Find a Reason to Get Up<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Find
\n \u00a9 The Nutrition Source – Harvard University<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The people in these long-lived pockets have something called “ikigai”<\/em> (or plan de vida). It\u2019s not a bucket list\u2014more like a reason to bother getting up at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For some, it\u2019s taking care of a garden or grandkids. For others, it\u2019s a job, a ritual, or a promise they made to someone who\u2019s gone. The point is, they don\u2019t drift through their days. They lean in, even when it hurts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Purpose isn\u2019t found on a vision board. It\u2019s the thing you can\u2019t stop caring about, even when no one is watching. These people cling to that thread and it keeps them tethered to life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6. Enjoy Simple, Slow Food<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Enjoy
\n \u00a9 NBC News<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Fast food never raised a centenarian. In the world\u2019s longest-living communities, meals are slow, from scratch, and often shared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019ll see grandmothers rolling dough, grandfathers stirring soup, and whole families waiting for bread to rise. The smells linger in the air for hours, and so does the anticipation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Food made with hands, not machines, has a different kind of magic. It\u2019s not about chasing foodie trends. It\u2019s about making the ordinary feel sacred. They know: patience is the secret ingredient.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

7. Take Rest Seriously (Naps Welcome)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Take
\n \u00a9 Diane Kochilas<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Napping isn\u2019t laziness. In Ikaria, Greece, it\u2019s practically a superpower. People there will lay down in the middle of the day, windows open, no alarm set.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I grew up believing you had to \u201cpush through\u201d <\/em>tiredness, but these people just close their eyes\u201410 or 30 minutes is enough. They don\u2019t apologize for it, either. Their bodies, their rules.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rest is a rebellion against a world obsessed with hustle. The oldest people protect their energy like it\u2019s gold. Maybe you should, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

8. Wine at Five\u2014but Never Alone<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Wine
\n \u00a9 Business Insider<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Wine isn\u2019t just a drink\u2014it\u2019s a ritual, a punctuation mark on the day. In Sardinia, people gather at five, pour a local red, and trade stories about family, politics, or the weather.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nobody\u2019s keeping score or sipping alone in front of the TV. The pleasure is woven into the social fabric<\/a>, not hidden in shame or excess. Moderation happens naturally when you share the bottle, not hoard it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m not saying you need to start drinking if you don\u2019t want to. But there\u2019s something about marking the day\u2019s end with people you trust. Joy needs an audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

9. Faith, Rituals, and Spiritual Anchors<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Faith,
\n \u00a9 NBC News<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Ever notice how rituals ground you when everything else feels chaotic? In Loma Linda, California, faith isn\u2019t just Sunday morning. It\u2019s woven into meals, bedtime, and even how they talk to strangers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some pray, some meditate, some just breathe deep and look for meaning in the everyday. It\u2019s not about what you believe; it\u2019s about having something bigger to lean on when the world tilts sideways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They don\u2019t skip their anchors, especially when life gets rough. Rituals remind them they belong somewhere, to someone, or maybe just to the day itself.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

10. Do Hard Things\u2014On Purpose<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Do
\n \u00a9 Blue Zones<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Comfort zones are cozy, but they don\u2019t build legacies. The world\u2019s longest-living people don\u2019t avoid hard work; they lean into it. Whether it\u2019s chopping wood, fixing a roof, or caring for an ailing neighbor, they say yes\u2014on purpose.

I remember once watching an old fisherman mend nets by hand, fingers rough but eyes steady. He never complained. Doing hard things gave his life texture, like a favorite old sweater.

We grow from friction, not from ease. That\u2019s the quiet, stubborn pride you see in those who last. They don\u2019t wait for easy; they make meaning in the hard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

11. Respect Your Elders\u2014And Learn From Them<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Respect
\n \u00a9 Vitruvin Longevity Foods<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

So many cultures toss their elders aside, like they\u2019re done once the candles hit 80. In Blue Zones, the oldest person in the room is the main event\u2014not a footnote. You listen, you ask, you learn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Elders pass down recipes, stories, warnings, and blessings. Kids grow up believing wisdom comes in wrinkled packages. It\u2019s a feedback loop: respect extends life, and being valued feeds the soul.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They are living libraries. You don\u2019t skip the chance to borrow their books while you can. At times, all someone needs to keep going is to know they matter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

12. Keep Work Flexible\u2014Never Truly Retire<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Keep
\n \u00a9 Costa Rica Immigration Experts<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Retirement as a finish line? Not in Nicoya. The oldest folks there just keep showing up: tending orchards, fixing roofs, watching grandkids, or teaching neighbors how to do things right.

Nobody tells them to stop, so they don\u2019t. There\u2019s pride in being useful, even if your knees creak or your memory slips. They let themselves slow down, but never drop out completely.

Work isn\u2019t always paid. Sometimes it\u2019s a promise, or a habit, or just a way to keep the day from feeling empty. Staying useful is the secret handshake between generations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

13. Laugh Off the Small Stuff<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Laugh
\n \u00a9 Parade<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In Ikaria, someone might burn dinner or forget to lock the goat pen, and everyone just laughs\u2014loud, honest, belly-deep. The world\u2019s oldest people know stress is real, but so is perspective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A neighbor\u2019s joke or a shared memory can take the sting out of a bad day. The most resilient people I\u2019ve met shrug off the stuff that doesn\u2019t matter in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Humor isn\u2019t just a coping mechanism\u2014it\u2019s medicine. They laugh with their whole bodies, and maybe that\u2019s why their hearts keep going strong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

14. Grow Something\u2014Anything<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Grow
\n \u00a9 The Hearty Soul<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s a quiet magic in putting your hands in the dirt. Whether it\u2019s a sprawling vegetable garden or a single stubborn tomato on the windowsill, people in Blue Zones grow something\u2014anything.

It\u2019s not just about food. It\u2019s about patience, hope, and the thrill of seeing life sprout from almost nothing.<\/a> Watching things grow is a daily reminder that the world keeps turning.

You don\u2019t need a green thumb. You just need curiosity, a little dirt, and a willingness to let nature surprise you. The oldest among us nurture living things because it nurtures them back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

15. Sleep Like You Mean It<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Sleep
\n \u00a9 All Seniors Care<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I used to brag about late nights, like sleep was optional. In Loma Linda, sleep isn\u2019t a luxury\u2014it\u2019s a commandment. These people guard their sleep with the same care as their best secrets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They go to bed when the sun dips, rise with the light, and keep the bedroom quiet and cool. No screens, no drama, just rest. Their bodies learn to trust the rhythm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eight, sometimes nine hours\u2014every night. No shame in needing rest. The longest-living people know that deep sleep is as nourishing as a good meal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

16. Stay Curious\u2014Keep Learning<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Stay
\n \u00a9 Medium<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Complacency ages you faster than wrinkles. In Ikaria, I met an old man who still learned a new word every day\u2014just because it amused him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These people poke at the edges of their world, reading, tinkering, asking uncomfortable questions. They never stop learning<\/a>, no matter how many birthdays they\u2019ve survived.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Curiosity isn\u2019t just for kids. It\u2019s life insurance for the soul. When you stay curious, you give yourself permission to keep changing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

17. Live Close to Nature<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Live
\n \u00a9 Oak Street Health<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Not everyone gets to live on a mountain or next to the sea\u2014but they spend more time outdoors than inside. They wake with the sun, work with their hands, and breathe air that still smells like earth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My friend’s great-grandmother greeted the sunrise every morning, barefoot in dew-wet grass. She said it made her knees ache a little less.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nature isn\u2019t just scenery. It\u2019s medicine, memory, and mystery. They find a way to step out, even if it\u2019s only to the front stoop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

18. Generosity, Not Just for Show<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Generosity,
\n \u00a9 M\u00e9c\u00e8ne Market<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Giving isn\u2019t a grand gesture\u2014it\u2019s daily, small, and sometimes inconvenient. In Nicoya, people show up for each other: food, help, a listening ear, or a ride across town.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The oldest people offer their time, their hands, and sometimes even their last ripe mango. Generosity isn\u2019t about ego or tallying favors; it\u2019s how they make the world feel safe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A full life isn\u2019t measured in years\u2014it\u2019s in how many people are glad to see you at their door. Simple as that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

19. Let the Day End Gently<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Let
\n \u00a9 Purity Products<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Modern life ends days with emails and to-do lists, but these people close out the light differently. In Ikaria, sunset means slowing down\u2014sometimes with tea, sometimes with prayer, sometimes just sitting in silence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s a softness to the way they let the dark settle in. No rush to get one last thing done, no scrolling in bed, just a gentle pause to mark the day\u2019s finish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The oldest people make space for quiet.<\/a> They respect the day\u2019s end the way you\u2019d honor a good guest\u2014by saying goodbye with attention.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Have you ever met someone in their 90s who moves like they\u2019re 60 and talks like they\u2019ve seen it all? I used to think people like that just got lucky. Turns out, there\u2019s more to it\u2014and it\u2019s not all kale smoothies or running marathons. Real talk: most of us aren\u2019t looking for perfection. We want…<\/p>","protected":false},"author":56,"featured_media":241558,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","_kadence_starter_templates_imported_post":false,"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[29814],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-241559","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-stories"],"taxonomy_info":{"category":[{"value":29814,"label":"Stories"}]},"featured_image_src_large":["https:\/\/herway.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/19-Daily-Habits-From-The-Longest-Living-People-On-Earth-1024x532.jpg",1024,532,true],"author_info":{"display_name":"Katie Burns","author_link":"https:\/\/herway.net\/it\/author\/katie\/"},"comment_info":0,"category_info":[{"term_id":29814,"name":"Stories","slug":"stories","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":29814,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":29651,"count":242,"filter":"raw","cat_ID":29814,"category_count":242,"category_description":"","cat_name":"Stories","category_nicename":"stories","category_parent":29651}],"tag_info":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/herway.net\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/241559","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/herway.net\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/herway.net\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/herway.net\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/56"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/herway.net\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=241559"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/herway.net\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/241559\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":241760,"href":"https:\/\/herway.net\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/241559\/revisions\/241760"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/herway.net\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/241558"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/herway.net\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=241559"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/herway.net\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=241559"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/herway.net\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=241559"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}