10 steps to living longer

1 Get some sleep!
But not too much! An American study found people who get between six and seven hours of sleep every night live longer than those who sleep more – or less.

2 Listen to classical music
According to boffins at Oxford University, listening to Beethoven calms the heart, lowers blood pressure and reduces muscle tension. So upload some Ludwig van B onto your iPod immediately!

3 Go nuts
Eating a handful of selenium rich Brazil nuts every day can reduce the risk of cancer by up to 40 per cent, while snacking on any unsalted nut can reduce the risk of Type 2 Diabetes.

4 Give blood
Blood donors like Heidi Klum, Miley Cyrus, Penn Badgely and Pierce Brosnan are 17 times less likely to have a heart attack. Scientists claim it gets rid of excess iron, an oxidant linked to heart disease.

5 Eat your crusts
Don’t just nibble the middle of your toast. The crusts have eight times the level of cancer busting antioxidant pronyl-lysine as the rest of a slice of bread.

6 Read upside down
We don’t mean standing on your head. Researchers say turning your book – or your weekly copy of Ahlan! – upside down challenges the brain and extends the cell’s lifespan, thus increasing life expectancy.

7 Look after your teeth
Flossing every time you brush your teeth, like Liv Tyler, can take six years off your age by removing toxic bacteria that can cause deadly cardiovascular disease.

8 adopt a stray animal
Aside from saving their life, giving a stray animal a home, like Drew Barrymore, can extend yours too! Cat and dog owners are less stressed and have lower blood pressure than those who don’t have a pet. Yet another good reason to visit one of Dubai’s animal rescue centres this weekend!

9 Take the stairs
Stop using the lift, and after 12 weeks, you’ll decrease your chance of dying prematurely from any cause by a whopping 15 per cent! Studies found banning the use of lifts and escalators led to improved fitness, less body fat and a drop in blood pressure.

10 Add a tomato to your sandwich
A daily portion of lycopene-rich, cancer fighting tomatoes can slash your risk of heart disease by 30 per cent.