Aging is inevitable; we all do it and we all do it all the time. Being prepared for it and doing it well is a trick to a long, successful and happy life. You only have to know a few things about aging to do it well, and this article has a few things for you to learn.

Increasing your social activities can improve your lifestyle as you get older. Being part of a group can help you to keep learning and experiencing new things. Join a seniors group, a craft class, or a cooking class. Keeping busy will give you no time to feel older!

Try to quit smoking or reduce the number of cigarettes that you smoke each day. Smoking is one of the leading causes of preventable death. However, it is never too late to stop smoking, and as soon as you quit, your risk of having a heart attack decreases. By quitting you could also save yourself a lot of money.

To slow down the aging process, do some aerobic exercise everyday mixed with occasional light weight training. Numerous scientific studies have shown that exercise improves muscle strength, stamina, bone density and balance. As these four things deteriorate with age, regular exercise could help keep your body in good condition well into your 80s and beyond.

Maintain your muscle mass by getting exercise on a regular basis. Use a pedometer and make sure that you are taking at least 5,000 to 10,000 steps each day. If you maintain your muscle mass, you are sure to avoid some of the terrible falls that you would otherwise incur.

Eat lots and lots of vegetables to slow the aging process and keep young. Evidence suggests that the damage from metabolism and toxins contribute to oxidative damage at a cellular level. There are many vegetables that are high in antioxidants which will protect the body from the oxidative stress of not eating right.

Exercise your brain. Strive to learn something new everyday. Keeping the brain active also keeps it healthy, sharp and alert. It sounds crazy, but if you stop working this precious organ, you may just forget how to use it. If you're not sure how to keep it active, buy a book of brainteasers and solve them all.

Each night, sleep a minimum of 7 to 9 hours. Insufficient sleep can lead to diseases from depression to heart disease, and has been linked to cancer. Exercise helps. Some doctors recommend melatonin (a hormone produced in humans by the pineal gland) or L-theanine, an amino acid found in tea. See an age management physician for healthy sleeping advice.

Everyone suffers from a certain amount of stress in their life, but in order to keep the aging process slow and graceful, it's important to keep stress at bay. A great way to do this is by practicing relaxation techniques. There are a wide variety of techniques available including meditation, yoga and tai chi. Pick the method that you are most comfortable with and be sure to practice it several times a week to slow down the aging process.

As was mentioned earlier, aging is something we have no choice or say in. However, with the right ideas put into place, aging can be slowed and even embraced as something wonderful. Keep the nuggets of wisdom from this piece in mind in your coming years, and you can embrace your future.