When talking about how to improve longevity, we often think of well-known healthy habits like staying physically active, eating a balanced diet that includes lots of whole foods, and managing stress levels.
And while those behaviors are, indeed, the cornerstones of a long, healthy life, there are other less-obvious habits that can make a significant difference, too. We asked longevity experts for their recommendations beyond the standard ones that immediately come to mind.
Before we dive in, it’s important to note that increasing longevity isn’t just about adding years to our lives. It’s about improving the quality of those extra years. That’s where the conversation about lifespan vs. health span comes in.
Lifespan refers to the total duration of one’s life from birth to death, while health span refers to the “period of life spent in good functional health,” Dr. Douglas Vaughan, director of the Potocsnak Longevity Institute at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, told HuffPost.
“It reflects quality of life and physiological integrity — not just survival,” he added.
Advancing age is a top risk factor for developing health conditions such as certain cancers, heart disease and dementia. Increasing your lifespan isn’t as meaningful if you’re not able to enjoy those additional years due to debilitating physical or mental health challenges
“Simply extending lifespan would likely also increase the burden of disease, resulting in a larger portion of one’s lifespan being affected by poor health,” said Sebastian Brandhorst, research associate professor at the University of Southern California’s Leonard Davis School of Gerontology. “Instead, researchers aim to develop strategies to increase health span, by definition delaying the onset of disease and increasing the quality of life well into the older age.”
Health span is sometimes defined as years spent “free from chronic disease” — a definition that Erin Martinez, a Kansas State University associate professor who specializes in healthy aging and adult development, takes issue with.
“I have a chronic disease and always will, yet I consider myself healthy and thriving. Health span isn’t about achieving some disease-free ideal; it’s about your definition of good health and vitality,” she explained.
Instead, we should think of health span as existing on a spectrum, “not a pass/fail grade,” said Martinez.
“Getting sick doesn’t mean your health span is over or that you’ve failed. Your definition of ‘good health’ simply evolves. The cliché is true: It’s not about the years in your life, but the life in your years,” she added.
Below, learn more about the seven healthy habits our longevity experts swear by:
1. Living With Purpose
One of the strongest predictors of a long and fulfilling life is having a sense of purpose — “a clear ‘why’ for your days,” said Martinez.
“The Japanese call this ikigai, or ‘reason for being,’” she added. “Purpose does not have to be grand or world-changing; it can be found in small, meaningful pursuits like tending a garden, caring for a pet, nurturing relationships, or contributing to your community.”
“When you have something that makes you feel needed and gives your life direction, you are more likely to care for your health, stay socially connected and maintain emotional resilience,” Martinez continued.
2. Staying Socially Connected
The Harvard Study of Adult Development, a longitudinal study that’s now been going on for 87 years and counting, found the strongest predictor of a long, happy and healthy life is the quality of our relationships.
In other words, leading a healthy lifestyle isn’t just an individual journey. The people you surround yourself with affect everything from your dietary choices to your mental health to your mortality, Brandhorst said.
“For example, female Okinawans, representing some of the world’s highest proportions of women who live to age 100 and above, traditionally form social support groups in childhood and stay together throughout their lives,” he said.
In fact, our social connections are “as protective as any [pharmaceutical] drug,” Vaughan explained.
“Social integration and meaningful relationships lower inflammation, blunt stress-hormone responses, and reduce all-cause mortality as powerfully as quitting smoking,” he said. “People with close friends or community ties are consistently healthier, happier, and live longer independent of income, diet or exercise.”
10’000 Hours via Getty Images
Social connection and forming relationships with people of different ages can help improve your longevity.
3. Having Relationships With People Of Different Ages
Having strong social connections is predictive of longevity and other positive health outcomes. And research has found that maintaining intergenerational relationships, in particular, “offers powerful benefits for long-term health and well-being,” Martinez said.
“Whether you are mentoring younger people, learning from older adults or simply engaging with neighbors of all ages, these interactions keep your mind sharp, your perspective broad and your sense of belonging strong,” she said.
Intergenerational relationships can improve physical and cognitive health, reduce social isolation and improve life satisfaction, according to research on the topic.
“In short, meaningful connections, especially across age groups, are one of the most valuable investments you can make in your longevity,” Martinez said.
4. Avoiding Risky Behaviors
In some ways, this recommendation is so simple, it’s easy to overlook it: “The surest way to extend life is not to shorten it,” Vaughan said.
That means generally avoiding unsafe behaviors over a lifetime — things like smoking, consuming alcohol, using drugs or driving distractedly.
These habits may “sound unremarkable, but low-risk behavior is the single largest contributor to exceptional longevity in long-term cohort studies,” Vaughan said.
5. Volunteering In Your Community For A Cause You Care About
Donating your time, skills and energy isn’t just good for your community, it’s good for your longevity too, Martinez said.
“Volunteering creates social bonds, encourages physical activity and fosters a sense of purpose that directly counters loneliness and depression,” she pointed out. “Studies consistently find that people who volunteer tend to live longer and report higher levels of happiness and fulfillment at every age.”
The key is to find a way to engage with your community that feels meaningful to you so volunteering doesn’t become just another obligation on your calendar. Martinez suggests reflecting on your personal interests and values and then seeking opportunities that are in alignment.
“If you are passionate about food security, volunteer at a local food pantry or help with a Kitchen Restore project,” Martinez suggested. “If you love working with youth, consider 4-H, the Boys & Girls Club, or after-school programs. If you enjoy hands-on work, try Habitat for Humanity or mentoring students in trade or design programs.”
Remember: “When your service aligns with your passions and expertise, everyone benefits,” she added.
Luis Alvarez via Getty Images
Volunteering provides a sense of purpose, which boosts your health.
6. Adjusting Your Daily Eating Window
When it comes to longevity, what you eat has a significant impact. Ideally, that’s lots of whole foods including vegetables, fruit, nuts, legumes and whole grains, while minimizing consumption of ultra-processed foods. But some research indicates there may be long-term health benefits to when we eat, too.
One such example is time-restricted eating, a type of intermittent fasting in which you limit nutrient intake to a set number of hours per day (usually about eight to 10 hours).
“For example: first meal — defined as caloric intake, so coffee with cream and sugar definitely counts — of the day at 8 a.m. and the last caloric intake at 6 p.m,” Brandhorst said. “This simple eating pattern aligns digestive function with other systemic signaling, such as sleep, which provides health benefits, such as weight loss, improved heart health and the regulation of blood sugar levels.”
That being said, this type of eating pattern may not be advisable (or sustainable) for everyone. Those who are under the age of 18, pregnant or nursing, or have a history of eating disorders should avoid it. Always consult with your doctor before implementing these practices — especially if you have a chronic health condition or take medication.
7. Maintaining A Consistent Sleep Schedule
For adults, getting seven to nine hours of shut-eye a night is associated with a host of positive health benefits in the short term like better mood and improved focus and problem-solving abilities. But logging enough hours on a consistent schedule — that means going to bed and waking up around the same time each day, even on weekends — can have positive effects on your well-being in the longer term, too.
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“Sleep is the body’s nightly repair program. Consistent sleep timing and quality restore metabolic balance, preserve vascular function and stabilize immune signaling,” Vaughan said.
“Chronically short or erratic sleep accelerates biological aging markers such as epigenetic drift and insulin resistance, while steady circadian rhythm is linked to healthier lifespan trajectories,” he added.
In addition to keeping your sleep and wake times consistent, getting sunlight within a couple of hours of waking up, limiting light exposure at night and avoiding exercising or eating too close to bedtime can also help maintain circadian alignment.
