Tina Turner’s 12 daily habits that helped her live 83 inspired years
How did Tina Turner live such a long and successful life?
If you’ve ever seen Tina Turner perform live – which she last did on New Year’s Eve 2022 – you might have thought the music icon seemed ageless… immortal, even. From her powerhouse voice to electrifying stage presence and energetic dancing, you would never have known she was 83 years old. But earlier this year she became ill, with some sources reporting intestinal cancer and a stroke. On Tuesday, May 23, 2023, Tina Turner’s family announced she died peacefully at her home in Switzerland.
Born Anna Mae Bullock on November 26, 1939, in Nutbush, Tennessee, Turner never had an easy life. In the 1960s and ’70s, she rose to fame as the lead singer of the Ike & Tina Turner Revue, performing with her then-husband, before launching her decades-long solo career. Tina Turner was known just as much for her personal struggles and shared her experiences openly with her fans, earning a reputation for female strength.
So how did Tina Turner live such a long and successful life despite her many struggles? The answer is that good genetics and chance likely played their roles, but a lot of the credit goes to her healthy lifestyle. Tina Turner had some famously great health habits and a resilient attitude. Ready to take notes from the Queen of Rock-n-roll? Following her lead won’t make you a famous singer (but who are we to crush your dreams?), but it will definitely make you happier and healthier.
1. Tina Turner maintained a spiritual practice
Turner grew up Southern Baptist but as her spirituality evolved, she eventually turned to Buddhism, crediting it for giving her a purpose in life – one of the best things you can do for your health and happiness. “After I began practicing Buddhism, I realised that my hardships could give me a mission – a purpose. I saw that by overcoming my obstacles, I could build indestructible happiness and inspire others to do the same,” she said in an interview with the Harvard Business Review. “I credit my spiritual practice with all the positive transformations – from the smallest to the largest – I’ve had in my career and personal life.”
2. Getting 10 (!) hours of sleep each night
Thanks to her rigorous touring schedule, Turner’s internal clock was set to ET (entertainment time, that is). “I am late to bed and late to rise, a habit of years of rock and roll touring,” she told Vogue in an interview. But, she admitted, she still prioritised getting enough shut-eye – “a good night’s sleep is the key,” she said, adding she aimed for about 10 hours each night.
3. Tina Turner meditated daily
Turner meditated daily and chanted a mantra when she felt anxious or stressed. One of her go-to mantras was change poison into medicine, to remind her to reframe negative situations or roadblocks and transform or remove them through positivity. “This allowed my true self to come out, and I became cheerful, confident, and resilient,” she wrote in her book Happiness Becomes You. “My approach to life and work became calmer and more thoughtful, and my reactions were more tempered.”
4. Tina Turner Loved to move
The key to making exercise a regular habit is to find something you genuinely love doing. For Turner that was clearly dancing, something she did with unabashed joy on stage. When Vogue asked what her exercise routine was to shape her famous legs, she replied, “Dancing! Any excuse and I will dance anywhere.”
5. Tina Turner had a strong a creative outlet
Songwriting was one of Turner’s greatest gifts, alongside her singing. But it wasn’t something that came easily to her and she dedicated countless hours to writing and composing. This creative outlet not only gave her a healthy outlet for her feelings but doing creative things, like writing, singing and painting have huge cognitive benefits. Not sure where to start to be creative? Write what you know: “I started with the topic I knew best: my own life. I wrote about my hometown of Nutbush in what became the 1973 hit ‘Nutbush City Limits,’” she said.
6. Tina Turner had a sensible diet
From Thai food to vegetarian to local delicacies, Turner was photographed enjoying a wide variety of delicious foods. So how did she keep her healthy muscular physique? Not by starving! “I knew a very long time ago that I always wanted to be as slender and attractive as I possibly could be,” she said in an interview with the Daily Mail. “But I hate all that calorie counting. I eat what I want and then if my weight starts to go up, I cut back.”
7. Tina Turner made time for friends and family
Fame can be isolating, as Turner found out when her ex-husband Ike used it as a way to abuse her. But as she got older Turner made it a point to spend time with her loved ones, including her four children. She also made friends wherever she went, recognising the joy and benefits of having a large social circle. “I do my best to see people as individuals and emphasise common ground,” she said.
8. Following a self-care routine
“I am blessed to have very good skin,” Turner told Vogue. But it wasn’t all genetics. No matter how tired she was after a show, she made it a point to practice self-care by washing off her makeup and using a deep moisture cream before bed. Clearly it worked: Tina Turner had glowy, supple skin well into her eighties!
9. Tina Turner exited a toxic relationship
Not all relationships are worth saving, especially those that are toxic or abusive. Staying with people who hurt you takes a terrible toll on your mental and physical health. Tina Turner’s escape from her abusive marriage was very public but, like many victims of domestic violence, it took the singer a long time to figure out how to leave. “For a long time I felt like I was stuck, with no way out of the unhealthy situation I was in,” she said. “Once I could see myself clearly, I began to change, opening the way to confidence and courage. It took a few years, but finally I was able to stand up for my life and start anew.” Not only did she save her own life, but she provided a powerful inspiration to other women in similar situations.
10. Tina Turner spent time outdoors
After retiring from the public eye, Turner and her husband Erwin moved their family to Switzerland – largely for the beautiful and relaxing scenery. “I love spending days in Switzerland with my husband driving into the mountains,” she said. “It’s relaxing and very spiritual to be surrounded by the lake and beautiful nature.”
Are you a nature lover too? Being outdoors has powerful health benefits and is linked with a longer life in the research. It’s not just the exercise that boosts your health. Science has shown that simply being outdoors, in nature, lowers stress hormones, slows your heart rate, reduces blood pressure, and increases feelings of safety and well-being, according to a study on ‘forest bathing.’
11. Tina Turner embraced ageing
Ageing in showbiz is seen as one of the worst things a woman can do (as if she has any other option!), and many stars fight it as long as they can with surgery, drugs and photoshop. Not Tina Turner, though! “Of course, I’ve aged a bit in the face, but not enough to worry about it. I have common sense enough to know that if I’m [ageing], something has to happen,” she said to the Daily Mail. “As time passes, a woman goes through changes with her body, her hormones and all of that, but I don’t have a problem with that. So I am fortunate.” This happy attitude toward ageing is revolutionary and sets a great example, especially because how we talk about ageing has a powerful effect on our health and happiness as we get older.
12. Tina Turner chose happiness every day
Experts agree: happiness is a choice, not a circumstance. No one knew this better than Tina Turner. After suffering a stroke and cancer, she shared, “My challenges can either make me a better version of myself or break me apart, and I have a choice as to which it will be. It’s so important to remember that you do have a choice, even when it feels as if you don’t. I choose to be hopeful and to honour each experience in my life, negative and positive, as a chance to increase my wisdom, courage, and compassion.”
Images: Getty
Written by: Charlotte Hilton Andersen
This article originally appeared on Reader's Digest.