Centenarian who starts her day with gentle exercise and loves walking shares 5 longevity tips, including staying single

• Joyce Preston, who is from the UK, turned 100 in March.
• She shared her advice for people who want to live to 100 like her.

In 1924 the Winter Olympics were held for the first time, the Ottoman Empire fell and the Soviet Union was officially recognized as a state. It was also the year Joyce Preston, who turned 100 last month, was born in the British city of Stockport.

Preston the 10 decades have passed well. As well as working for a cotton research company, he played the piano and sang in choirs for 90 years before relaxing in recent years, and has traveled the world with friends, particularly falling in love with the Middle East

A few months ago, Preston moved into Care UK’s Abney Court residence. There she starts her day doing yoga or gentle exercise and loves to go for walks.

If current trends continue, hundreds like Preston won’t be so rare – there are estimated to be eight times as many worldwide by 2050. And given that by 2023, the Office for National Statistics US Labor estimates that 9.9% of people over 75 will do so. still running, up 8.2% from 2022, it’s easy to see why longevity is such a hot topic.

For those of us who don’t have the funds or inclination to spend millions on longevity a year, like tech executive Bryan Johnson, whose motto is “don’t die,” it’s encouraging that most experts agree that eating healthy and exercising regularly can have a very positive effect on our health.

Preston shares his secrets to living to 100 and staying active into old age.

stay single

Preston never married, and his best advice for reaching 100 is to “stay single.”

Research on relationship status and longevity is mixed. Studies show that married people tend to live longer, possibly because they are less likely to feel lonely and stressed.

But Paul Dolan, professor of behavioral science at the London School of Economics, told The Guardian that women who never marry or have children are the healthiest and happiest because they don’t have to “put up” with a partner.

But marriage can lead to better financial stability and emotional support, he said, suggesting that the least stressful option is best.

Have lots of friends

Although Preston does not have a partner, he has many friends and spends a considerable amount of time with them.

He advises young people who want to make triple figures to “have lots of friends to keep you busy and to keep you company.”

According to Trinity College Dublin-based gerontology professor Rose Anne Kenny, social interaction is as beneficial to longevity as eating a good diet or exercising.

He said this could be because loneliness has been linked to chronic inflammation, which researchers believe increases the risk of diseases such as cancer, heart disease and stroke.

Don’t act your age

Research suggests that thinking positively about aging could help people live longer, possibly up to 7.5 years, according to a 2002 study that compared different perceptions of aging.

Preston said she doesn’t let her age hold her back and maintained her independence by continuing to drive until recently.

Be religious

As a founding member of an independent evangelical church, religion is important to Preston and he believes it has contributed to his long life.

Researchers from LongeviQuest, an organization that validates the ages of supercentenarians, previously told BI that most of the 110-year-olds they spoke to in Latin America were very religious, and it seemed to help them stay positive.

Religion itself may not be the secret sauce to longevity. Research suggests that spiritual people may live longer because of potential mental health benefits, with a 2023 study linking it to resilience and life satisfaction in older adults.

Dr. Joseph Maroon, a neuroscientist and eight-time Ironman triathlete who is still competing at age 84, previously told BI that spirituality is one of the four pillars of health for him.

Keep learning

As a member of the University of the Third Age, a charity that provides opportunities for retirees to learn new skills, Preston has continued to learn into his 10th decade.

Learning new things is thought to help prevent cognitive decline in old age, Heidi Tissenbaum, a professor of molecular, cell and cancer biology who researches healthy aging, previously told BI.