Prioritize sleep, build muscle, track blood sugar for longevity: Dr

If she could turn back time, here’s what she would do.

Dr. Florence Comite, a Manhattan-based precision medicine doctor specializing in longevity, is revealing the top three healthy habits she’ll want to prioritize in her 20s to stem the tide of aging.

In a new interview with MindBodyGreen, Comite advises getting enough sleep, building muscle, and monitoring blood sugar levels.

Improve deep sleep

Comite suggests a strong link between sleep quality and sugar cravings and insulin control.

Insulin resistance and high blood sugar are hallmarks of diabetes – poor sleep has been linked to a higher risk of diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, anxiety and other long-term health conditions.

Experts recommend that adults get seven to nine hours of sleep each night, and Comite says getting enough deep sleep is essential.

This stage of sleep, also called slow wave sleep, is when brain activity is at its slowest and heart rate and breathing are at their lowest.

The body is more relaxed in deep sleep and it can be difficult to wake up.

Deep sleep tends to come earlier in the night and is essential for repairing muscles, bones and tissues, boosting the immune system, processing new memories and clearing toxins from the brain.

Comite told MindBodyGreen that her biological age tests have decreased significantly since she started monitoring her sleep patterns with an Oura ring.

Build muscle

“Muscles for me are like the fountain of youth. It is the key to longevity,” Comite said. “Diabetes starts to show up in our 30s, 40s and 50s because we’re all losing muscle as our hormones are changing.”

Researchers at Stanford University found that people who strength train lose more fat and maintain blood sugar better than those who do cardio or a combination of strength and cardio.

Strength training doesn’t immediately burn as many calories as a cardio workout, but it builds muscle tissue, which requires more energy and calories over time to maintain.

“When you strength train, you can focus on specific muscles that you can tone and shape,” Jenna Rizzo, a Georgia-based women’s weight-loss coach, recently explained.

Comite recommends resistance training at least two or three times a week and consuming adequate protein to help minimize muscle loss. Here are six winning moves to jumpstart your weight training.

Monitor blood sugar

Comite says she uses a continuous glucose monitor to track her blood sugar, sleep quality, stress levels and the best foods for her metabolic health.