(Radio Iowa) – A new federal study pegs the average American’s life expectancy around 77 years, which is an improvement, but still lags behind the pre-pandemic report that put the average at almost 79 years. How can Iowans live longer? Shayna Schertz, a wellness education specialist at Gundersen Health, says many factors go into giving you the best chance of living a long and healthy life. “That could be a healthy diet, including fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grains, lean protein,” Schertz says. “Getting physical activity, such as both cardio and strength training, it’s very important as we age. Having those strong social connections, and avoiding risky behaviors such as tobacco or alcohol.” Since COVID-19, many work environments have changed as employers allow more people to work from home, which means an increase in loneliness, and that can impact how long you live.

“Many people are more isolated than they used to be. They don’t have those meaningful relationships. They don’t get out in the community,” Schertz says. “Family starts to drift apart a little bit as you age. So just having those social connections, trying to get out as much as you can.” Another factor in life expectancy falls under the banner of life fulfillment, which means different things to different people. “Staying active, staying socially connected, taking care of yourself, setting goals to keep your mind and body both sharp,” Schertz says. “Goal setting is one thing that kind of falls off as we age, and it’s an important thing in life to keep striving, keep learning, keep expanding your mental health.” Studies find women typically live longer than men. That, too, may be due to a combination of things, including genetics, getting better sleep, women tend to be more socially engaged, and they also get medical checkups on a more routine basis than men.