We may not need to completely overhaul our lives to live healthier for longer, according to a large UK-based study. This is welcome news, particularly as many people will already have abandoned their New Year’s resolutions.

The recent study followed around 590,000 people in the UK, with an average age of 64, over an eight-year period. The researchers confirmed earlier findings that healthier lifestyles are associated with lower risk of disease, including dementia, and with living longer in good health and independence.

The authors reported that even very small changes were associated with such benefits. These included around five additional minutes of sleep per night, two extra minutes per day of moderate to vigorous physical activity, and modest improvements in diet. Together, these changes were associated with roughly one additional year of healthy life. “Healthy life” here refers to years lived without major illness or disability that limits daily functioning.

More substantial changes were linked to larger gains. Almost half an hour of extra sleep per night, combined with four additional minutes of exercise per day, which adds up to nearly half an hour of extra activity per week, along with further dietary improvements, was associated with up to four additional healthy years of life.

This matters because, although women live longer on average than men, those extra years are often spent in poorer health, with significant personal and economic costs. Women face a higher risk of dementia, stroke and heart disease at older ages, as well as conditions that lead to vision loss and bone fractures. These illnesses can reduce quality of life and threaten........

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