Easy ways to add energy & years to your life

These little tweaks make life great now and could buy you time, say SELF's medical advisor, Henry Lodge, M.D.

Peel off extra pudge

Being even a bit overweight can shorten your life, according to research in Lancet. Figure out your BMI. Is it more than 25? Start a weight loss plan.

Years Added: 1-2

1 of 7 Scale © CN Digital Studio

Sleep seven hours

People who live longest say they snooze about that much nightly, says Daniel F. Kripke, M.D., emeritus professor of psychiatry at the University of California in Davis.

Years Added: 1-2

2 of 7 Sleeping mask © CN Digital Studio

Push harder in spin

Cycling workouts with intense bursts torch more fat and can extend your years more than longer, slower biking, researchers at Bispebjerg University Hospital find.

Years Added: 4

3 of 7 Spin class -- Image courtesy of soul-cycle.com

Eat tastier meals

Foods rich in antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids (dark chocolate, veggies, fish) prettify skin and, research in BMJ indicates, could lower heart disease risk.

Years Added: 5

4 of 7 Greens © CN Digital Studio

Go for a jog

Running -- even slowly -- three times a week is great for your bones, heart and mood, says Peter Schnohr, M.D., chief cardiologist for the Copenhagen City Heart Study.

Years Added: 5-6

Quit smoking

Women who snuff their cigarette habit by age 35 enjoy a much longer life than their tobacco-puffing peers, the American Journal of Public Health notes.

Years Added: 7