Sir,

In one of his recent articles titled “Self-Discipline,” N.K.A.Ballal has highlighted the virtues of observing self-discipline. It is also a fact that those who lead disciplined lives tend to live longer. Examples of Sir M. Visvesvaraya, Mysore Vasudevacharya and John D. Rockefeller can be quoted in this connection.

John D. Rockefeller was the richest man in the United States at the height of his active career and he lived up to age 98. He reached a great age partly because he devoted the same attention to organising the resources of his body that he once gave to organising the oil industry. After he was 34, he made it a practice to take a nap of an hour or two after luncheon and not even the President of the United States could get John D. Rockefeller on the phone while he was having his snooze!

Some useful tips which have a bearing on longevity are listed below:

1. Do volunteer work after retirement instead of putting a stop to working abruptly.
2. Move around. Exercise is the only real fountain of youth that exists. Simply walk around the neighbourhood for 30 minutes a day.
3. Get at least six hours of sleep each night. Sleep is one of the most important functions that our body uses to regulate and heal cells. Those who reach the century make sleep a priority.
4. Be less neurotic. Find better ways to manage when you are stressed. Yoga, exercise, meditation or just deep breathing for a few minutes are all good.
5. Be a creature of habit. Centenarians tend to live by strict routines, eating the same kind of diet and doing the same kind of activities their whole lives. Going to bed and waking up at the same time each day is another good habit to keep your body in steady equilibrium that can easily be disrupted as you get on in years.
6. Stay connected. Having regular social contacts with friends and loved ones is key to avoiding depression, which can lead to premature death.

Have faith in God, learn to sleep well and love good music. And health and happiness will be yours.

– M.K.Subba Rao, Bengaluru, 20.5.2017