Let’s consider that in less than 30 years, one in six people in the world will be aged 60 or above. Is it perhaps about time that ageing was approached as an opportunity rather than a hindrance?
Discoveries to support ageing well should be encouraged but waiting around for a magic, age-defeating drug might not be a wise decision when evidence suggests there’s plenty we can all do now to age healthily.
Modern science and healthcare have made great strides in life expectancy over the last 100 years. However, following a notable decline during and after the pandemic, both a 2022 US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) report and UK Office of National Statistics (ONS) data show that life expectancy in the US and UK has yet to fully recover to pre-pandemic levels - a reminder that longer lives are not guaranteed, and that how we live matters enormously.
Could this shift in our lifespan be aligning with the realisation that our focus should instead be on health expectancy or healthspan. With diseases of old age starting to impact us earlier in life, and frequently a consequence of poor lifestyle choices, perhaps the more urgent question isn't how long we live, but how well.
Healthspan is the number of years a person spends in good health, free from disease, pain and illness. It measures your physical and mental comfort and your ability to enjoy a healthy life, as opposed to simply the duration of your life. And the gap between the two matters more than most of us realise — a 2024 study published in JAMA Network Open found that globally, people spend an average of nearly 10 years of their life in poor health, with women faring worse than men. In the US, that gap stretches to 12.4 years. Unlike lifespan, the goal of improving your healthspan is to empower you to be mentally and physically capable of doing the things you love, for longer - especially as you age.
This focus on healthy ageing requires embracing preventative behaviours as early as possible in life – although it’s never too late! It requires motivation to focus on what we can control rather than what we can’t and recognising that small positive changes can add up.
So rather than waiting for the latest longevity pill, what are some key areas where evidence shows we can improve our chances?
- Movement – Just Get Up and Go (Somewhere. Anywhere!) The good news: you don't need to run a marathon or join a spin class at 6am. Daily movement – in whatever shape it takes – is one of the most powerful tools we have for healthy ageing. This is sometimes called 'exercise snacking' - short bursts of movement dotted throughout your day. A brisk walk outside, squats while the kettle boils, taking the stairs twice when you'd normally take the lift once - it all counts. Your body was built to move. Let’s not disappoint it.
- Nutrition – Eat the Rainbow (Not the Beige) If your plate looks like a grey January afternoon, something has gone wrong. Colourful foods – deep greens, vibrant reds, rich purples, sunny yellows – are packed with the antioxidants and phytonutrients that help protect our cells as we age. Think small additions rather than a complete overhaul. Upgrading your plate, not overhauling your life.
- Connection – Say Hello. Seriously. Loneliness has been linked to increased risk of dementia, heart disease, and early death. Chat to the person behind you in the supermarket queue. Phone a friend you haven't spoken to in a while. Say good morning to your neighbour. These micro-moments of connection accumulate into something genuinely protective. Plus, it's just nice.
- Muscle – Meet It Where You Are. We begin to lose muscle mass from our thirties onwards, and it accelerates if we don't actively work against it. And it's not just about physical strength - emerging evidence suggests that maintaining muscle mass may also support brain health, with resistance exercise linked to improvements in memory and cognitive function. Carry the shopping bags rather than using the trolley. Do a few press-ups against the kitchen worktop. Lift light weights while watching the news. If the gym is your thing, brilliant. If it isn't, there are plenty of other doors in.
- Brain Training – Keep Learning Something. The brain retains the ability to form new connections throughout life – and one of the best ways to keep it firing is to keep learning. Pick up a hobby you've always meant to try, learn a few words of a new language, take up drawing or chess or pottery. It doesn't need to be productive or impressive. It just needs to be new. Your brain will thank you – probably not out loud but trust us.
Healthy ageing isn't about perfection - it's about direction. You don't need to overhaul your life overnight. You just need to start. One walk, one colourful meal, one conversation, one new skill. The science is clear: small, consistent choices compound into something powerful.
Reference list
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