Six pillars of healthy ageing: Renowned psychiatrist explains

'Ageing is just another word for living,' goes a popular social media meme on positivity. While it is easy to quote lines like 'Only those who have smiled in their lives get wrinkles' or 'Growing old is a triumph, not a disease,' handling the challenges of ageing isn't this fun. 

Carefully avoiding lifestyle diseases and heart ailments is important for staying healthy in old age. A study conducted by the American College of Lifestyle Medicine proposes six pillars of healthy ageing. Dr Arun B Nair, a professor of psychiatry at Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram, explains them. 

The six pillars
• A healthy diet that includes fruits and vegetables
•Regular exercising
•7 – 8 hours of good quality sleep at night
•Practising techniques to keep away from mental stress
•Saying no to intoxicating agents like alcohol and tobacco
•Maintaining healthy personal relationships

Good quality sleep
The American Heart Association has recently stated that there is a higher risk of heart disease if you do not get 7 – 8 hours of good-quality sleep at night. These are a few tips to improve your sleep quality. 
•Go to bed and wake up at a specific time every day
•Stay away from all kinds of screens, including mobile phone at least an hour before going to bed
•Make sure to eat your dinner at least two hours before sleeping
•Not consuming tea or coffee in the afternoon will help you get good sleep at night. 

Heart health
Maintaining healthy blood pressure, glucose, and cholesterol levels is important for heart health. A balanced diet that includes fruits and vegetables could be followed. It is better to reduce carbohydrate intake and increase protein consumption. Try to avoid fat and sugar as much as possible. Salt intake too must be regulated to lead a healthy life. Exercising for 30 minutes at least 5 days a week will keep your heart healthy.