{"id":5696,"date":"2023-07-17T00:05:16","date_gmt":"2023-07-16T17:05:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/?p=5696"},"modified":"2023-07-17T00:05:16","modified_gmt":"2023-07-16T17:05:16","slug":"5-healthy-afternoon-habits-inspired-by-the-blue-zones","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/?p=5696","title":{"rendered":"5 Healthy Afternoon Habits Inspired by the Blue Zones"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"drop-cap text-big text-gray\"> <span class=\"drop-cap__first text-dropcap \">W<\/span>hen you consider practices that contribute to your longevity and well-being, your mind probably jumps to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/blue-zone-guide\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/blue-zone-guide\/\">Blue Zones<\/a>, the five regions of the world where the longest living people reside (Nicoya, Costa Rica; Loma Linda, California; Ikaria, Greece; Okinawa, Japan; and Sardinia, Italy). We\u2019ve already learned about how they approach their <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/blue-zones-morning-habits-for-longevity\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/blue-zones-morning-habits-for-longevity\/\">morning habits<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/blue-zones-coffee-habits\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/blue-zones-coffee-habits\/\">coffee habits<\/a>, so let\u2019s tap them again to see how we can best hack the afternoon, the time of day when many people are most in need of a pick me up between work and other tasks. Read on for insights from experts about five healthy afternoon habits to lift from the Blue Zones to support your longevity and help <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/afternoon-slump-zodiac-sign\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/afternoon-slump-zodiac-sign\/\">beat the afternoon slump<\/a>.<\/div>\n<h2>How people in the Blue Zones approach the afternoon<\/h2>\n<p>For many Americans, the afternoon is part of the work day and is typically dedicated to finishing up as much of your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/how-make-to-do-list\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/how-make-to-do-list\/\">to-do list<\/a> as possible. According to author, explorer, and longevity researcher <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bluezones.com\/dan-buettner\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.bluezones.com\/dan-buettner\/\">Dan Buettner<\/a>, the\u00a0 the general approach to the midday is far different in the Blue Zones, where life isn&#8217;t oriented around accomplishing the maximum amount of work. &#8220;Productivity is not a priority, purpose is,&#8221; he says.<\/p>\n<p>The way people in the Blue Zones approach the midday is much the same as how they approach the rest of their time\u2014by integrating healthy natural foods, social connection, and natural movement. Although each Blue Zone region has specific customs and healthy afternoon habits, they all promote a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/stress-reducing-activities\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/stress-reducing-activities\/\">lower stress lifestyle<\/a>, which is key for both longevity and shorter-term well-being. How members of each Blue Zone approach midday is different, according to\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/directory.campbell.edu\/people\/robert-agnello\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/directory.campbell.edu\/people\/robert-agnello\/\">Robert Agnello, DO<\/a>, assistant professor of family medicine at Campbell University, who has studied the Blue Zones. But they all revolve around the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bluezones.com\/2016\/11\/power-9\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.bluezones.com\/2016\/11\/power-9\/\">basic nine elements<\/a> that are associated with Blue Zone lifestyles, he says. Read on for insights from experts about five healthy afternoon habits to lift from the Blue Zones to boost your longevity.<\/p>\n<div class=\"related-content \" style=\"\" data-module-init=\"related-content\" data-module-immediate=\"\" v-cloak=\"\">\n<div class=\"related-content__wrapper \" v-cloak=\"\" :class=\"{'is-loaded':isLoaded}\">\n<p> <span class=\"inline pr-6 text-seafoam-dark\">Related Stories<\/span> <\/p>\n<p> <related-content class=\"related-content__links\" parent-article-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/healthy-afternoon-habits\/\" current-title=\"5 Healthy Afternoon Habits Inspired by the Longest Living People in World, in Case You\u2019re Feeling the Afternoon Slump\" current-image=\"GettyImagesBlueZonesMidday-1-425x285.jpg\" v-on:parsely-posts-loaded=\"onPostsLoaded\" start-date=\"2023-01-16\" tag=\"div\" inline-template=\"\" url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/healthy-afternoon-habits\/\" secret=\"w5ztterVB03LGZJLfXS0hf3EvQBuFFIWew9hmVQxthU\" apikey=\"wellandgood.com\" limit=\"3\"> <\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"related-content__card mb-[10px] sm:mb-[20px]\" :class=\"{'related-content__card--full':posts.length === 1}\" v-for=\"(post, key) in posts\"> <a v-on:click.prevent=\"trackLinkGA($event, key)\" :href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/healthy-afternoon-habits\/post.url\" data-url-source=\"related-content\" class=\"related-content__link\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"\"> <\/p>\n<div class=\"related-content__card--image bg-tan\" :style=\"{ backgroundImage: 'url(' + post.image_url + ')' }\"> <img :src=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/healthy-afternoon-habits\/post.image_url\" :alt=\"post.title\"\/> <\/div>\n<p> <\/a>  <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> <\/related-content> <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<h2>5 healthy afternoon habits for longevity, inspired by the Blue Zones<\/h2>\n<h3>1. Prioritize purpose, not productivity<\/h3>\n<p>Unlike American society at large, people in the Blue Zones orient their days in service of their purpose, rather than shorter term goals dedicated to getting as much as possible done. In Costa Rica they call it <em>plan de vida<\/em>, says Buettner, while in Okinawa they call it <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/japanese-secret-for-becoming-a-morning-person\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/japanese-secret-for-becoming-a-morning-person\/\">ikigai<\/a>,\u00a0<\/em>but they both mean living for your purpose, and Blue Zones residents find ways to live their purpose throughout the day, a habit which has been <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bluezones.com\/2018\/01\/20-habits-healthier-happier-life\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.bluezones.com\/2018\/01\/20-habits-healthier-happier-life\/\">linked to longevity<\/a>. One study published in <a href=\"https:\/\/jamanetwork.com\/journals\/jamapsychiatry\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/jamanetwork.com\/journals\/jamapsychiatry\"><em>JAMA Psychiatry <\/em><\/a>found that adults over age 50 who <a href=\"https:\/\/jamanetwork.com\/journals\/jamapsychiatry\/article-abstract\/2648692\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/jamanetwork.com\/journals\/jamapsychiatry\/article-abstract\/2648692\">felt they had a purpose in life<\/a> had lower risk of developing a weaker grip and slower walking speed, which are two signs of declining physical function.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The people in the Blue Zones really work to live, and in a lot of of productive societies we really live to work, and I don&#8217;t know if you&#8217;re going to improve your stress much unless you&#8217;re able to flip that [dynamic] around,&#8221; says Dr. Agnello. This isn&#8217;t to say don&#8217;t do your work or that it&#8217;s not important, but remember it&#8217;s just one aspect of your life.<\/p>\n<p>Your ability to do this probably varies based on your daily workload and responsibilities, but taking some time during the day to align with your purpose could be helpful. Find time to introspect and think about what makes you happy and fulfilled, and incorporate that into your afternoon.<\/p>\n<h3>2. Take your time eating lunch with others<\/h3>\n<p>No more sad salads eaten slumped over your desk. Taking time to consume a nourishing lunch away from your work space or whatever other task you\u2019re attending to is a healthy afternoon habit to adopt. According to Buettner, residents of Ikaria and Sardinia make lunch a drawn out and social affair.<\/p>\n<p>Dr. Agnello says Blue Zones residents eat a diet rich in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/anti-inflammatory-foods-for-longevity\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/anti-inflammatory-foods-for-longevity\/\">anti-inflammatory foods<\/a> that pack plenty of vitamins and nutrients. Think: beans, fish, olive oil, fresh fruits, whole grains, and leafy greens.<\/p>\n<p>While not a Blue Zone, Sweden has a version of this that&#8217;s worth emulating called <em><a href=\"https:\/\/visitsweden.com\/what-to-do\/food-drink\/swedish-kitchen\/all-about-swedish-fika\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/visitsweden.com\/what-to-do\/food-drink\/swedish-kitchen\/all-about-swedish-fika\/\">fika<\/a>, <\/em>which is a break in the afternoon to drink a cup of coffee, eat a pastry, and catch up with coworkers (many companies even require it). Why not put some time on your calendar for your midday break?<\/p>\n<h3>3. Make time to move<\/h3>\n<p>The Blue Zones approach to fitness is focused on fitting in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/blue-zones-of-happiness-fitness-tip\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/blue-zones-of-happiness-fitness-tip\/\">natural movement<\/a> throughout the day, rather than short bursts of intense activity. &#8220;In these areas of the world, they&#8217;re not going in the gym and pumping iron, but they&#8217;re <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/exercises-for-longevity\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/exercises-for-longevity\/\">riding bikes, taking long walks, and playing soccer<\/a>\u2014good natural movement to get the heart rate up,&#8221; says Dr. Agnello. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/chronicdisease\/resources\/infographic\/hearthealth.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/chronicdisease\/resources\/infographic\/hearthealth.htm\">recommends regular movement<\/a> for overall cardiovascular health and to prevent heart disease; a pair of recent studies found a connection between heart health and longer lifespans, plus <a href=\"https:\/\/jamanetwork.com\/journals\/jamainternalmedicine\/article-abstract\/2801750\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/jamanetwork.com\/journals\/jamainternalmedicine\/article-abstract\/2801750\">lower instances of chronic illnesses<\/a> like cancer and type two diabetes.<\/p>\n<p>In the afternoon, find time to move in a way that&#8217;s enjoyable and manageable to you. Be sure to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/why-walking-good-you\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/why-walking-good-you\/\">make time for walks<\/a>, which are good for both your physical health and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/exercise-and-brain-health\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/exercise-and-brain-health\/\">brain health<\/a>. Or, do like they do in Sardinia and go on a bike ride.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: acumin-pro-condensed, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; font-weight: 600;\">4. Recharge with a nap<\/span><\/p>\n<p>In several Blue Zone regions the afternoons are hot, so Buettner says napping is common across all Blue Zones both to beat the heat and to recharge. Naps can be energizing to power you over the dreaded midday slump, and are also in general supportive of your health. In fact, one longitudinal study that involved more than 20,000 Greek people found a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedaily.com\/releases\/2007\/02\/070212184206.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedaily.com\/releases\/2007\/02\/070212184206.htm\">correlation between regular napping and heart health<\/a>, which is a key piece of preserving longevity, Dr. Agnello says.<\/p>\n<p>Naps can also help relieve and prevent chronic stress, which is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.heart.org\/en\/healthy-living\/healthy-lifestyle\/stress-management\/stress-and-heart-health\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.heart.org\/en\/healthy-living\/healthy-lifestyle\/stress-management\/stress-and-heart-health\">one of the factors connected to heart disease risk<\/a>. So take a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/how-to-nap\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/how-to-nap\/\">strategic nap<\/a> to avoid trampling on your nighttime shut-eye: Set a timer for between 15 and 30 minutes.<\/p>\n<h3>5. Make time to socialize<\/h3>\n<p>Social connection is a major tenet of life in the Blue Zones that promotes longevity. Humans are by nature social creatures, so we need strong bonds with friends and family for our emotional and physical well-being. Staving off loneliness is key for health in both the near and long-term, says Dr. Agnello, because the effects of loneliness both <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/aging\/publications\/features\/lonely-older-adults.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/aging\/publications\/features\/lonely-older-adults.html\">physically and mentally are devastating<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>So make those lunch plans with your coworkers, friends, or family members if possible\u2014even a quick video or phone call can help you <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/virtual-connection-style-astrology\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/virtual-connection-style-astrology\/\">feel more connected to your community<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div data-type=\"_mgwidget\" data-widget-id=\"1675549\">\r\n<\/div>\r\n<script>(function(w,q){w[q]=w[q]||[];w[q].push([\"_mgc.load\"])})(window,\"_mgq\");\r\n<\/script>\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When you consider practices that contribute to your longevity and well-being, your mind probably jumps to the Blue Zones, the five regions of the world where the longest living people reside (Nicoya, Costa Rica; Loma Linda, California; Ikaria, Greece; Okinawa, Japan; and Sardinia, Italy). We\u2019ve already learned about how they approach their morning habits and &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":5697,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5696","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5696","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5696"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5696\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/5697"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5696"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5696"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5696"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}