6 reasons why people in Spain are getting much older

Many people seem to grow very old in Spain. The sun, good food, and many activities on the street are good for an elderly person. It is therefore no surprise that Spain is the EU country where people live the longest. Men live to be an average of 80.3 years old, women even 85.6 years. That is more than 10 years older than the global average! But where does the high life expectancy of the Spaniards or people living in Spain come from? Here are 6 reasons why.

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1. Walking and strolling. It is immediately noticeable in Spain: there are many more people on the street. Young children play outside until late at night and the elderly stroll through town or village at their leisure. That 'Pasear', or going out the door and walking and strolling, is, of course, more fun in good weather than in the rain. No wonder, then, that it happens more in Spain than in other more northern countries. Walking is not only good for the body but also for social contact!
2. The healthy Mediterranean diet. Fresh produce, olive oil, fish, legumes, and red wine are some of the staples of the Mediterranean diet. In Spain, they know what to do with it. Compared to other European countries, the Spaniards eat a lot healthier.
3. The Siesta! Take a rest halfway through the day. The Spanish afternoon nap is not only good but also healthy. Many Spaniards still have a siesta of between two and five hours. They take the time to eat well and even though it often does not come from real sleep, a longer break during the day has a positive effect on health.
4. More sex! To keep the body and mind young, a regular game of sex is not unimportant. Did you know that the Spaniards do it more often on average than, for example, the British? According to the British research agency OnePoll, Spanish women have sex on average 2.1 times a week, while for example, British women have sex 1.7 times a week.
5. The happiest language in the world. Researchers at the University of Vermont found that the Spanish language is the happiest language in the world. Thousands of words from the ten most spoken languages in the world were analyzed for this purpose. And the Spaniards appear to use the most cheerful words. ¡Qué Divertido!
6. The healthy and social tapas! Earlier we mentioned the Mediterranean diet, but the tapas deserve a special mention. Instead of eating a full plate of food in the evening and then going to bed, Spaniards often choose to share a number of tapas together, these are small dishes of a usually very healthy origin, a lot healthier than with a full belly to go to sleep! The social aspect of eating tapas undoubtedly also plays a role in healthier and happier aging!