The New Science of Longevity: Habits That Add Decades to Your Life

When we hear about someone living an active, happy life well into their 90s or beyond, we usually chock it up to “good genes.”

But scientists who study longevity tell us that genetics only account for about 25% of the variation in human lifespan. The rest? That’s determined by your environment and your lifestyle.

Not surprisingly, having access to clean air, water, and fresh food impacts our health, and affects how we age and how long we live. Of course, tragedy can also cut short any life, beyond personal control.

But there is so much that is within our control. We’re talking about longevity as an active choice.

And while living a long life is a worthwhile goal, an even better one healthspan: to be as healthy and engaged in your life for as long as possible. In fact, it’s now believed that lifestyle choices in our first seven to eight decades override the influence of genes when it comes to lifespan. 

By studying the lives of super-agers (centenarians and those people who continue to live happy, active lives well into their 80s and 90s) and through emerging insights into biological aging, scientists tell us that healthy, vibrant longevity comes down to seven factors.

The 7 Lifestyle Factors that Affect Longevity

1. What you eat
2. Your activity level
3. How well you sleep
4. How connected you feel to others
5. Your outlook
6. Avoiding dangerous behaviors
7. Managing any health concerns that arise

The good news is that these lifestyle factors can become habits. Even small, consistent actions toward developing habits of healthy longevity will dramatically influence how long and how well you live. Taking steps to adopt habits of longevity reinforces the idea that we have agency. Realizing that we can influence our experience of aging is energizing and motivating. This is our superpower.

Aging happens. There’s no reason to try and deny it or push it away. We’ve earned these years and have the wisdom to prove it. But how we continue to age—and how we feel in the process—is largely in our hands.

The Experts Consulted for this Longevity Guide

This guide was created with expert insights from: Michael Roizen, MD, Chief Wellness Officer at the Cleveland Clinic and author of The Great Age Reboot; Sabrena Jo, PhD, Senior Director of Science & Research at the American Council on Exercise; Jen Wagner, MD, founder of Prosper and performance coach for women in midlife; Valter Longo, PhD, Director of the USC Longevity Institute and author of The Longevity Diet; Stephanie Faubion, MD, MBA, Director of the Mayo Clinic Center for Women’s Health and Medical Director of The Menopause Society; Christina Camell, PhD, Assistant Professor at the University of Minnesota’s Institute on the Biology of Aging and Metabolism; Robert Waldinger, MD, Director of the Harvard Study of Adult Development and Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School; and Kasley Killam, MPH, social health expert and author of The Art and Science of Connection. Their science-backed insights and real-world wisdom shaped every section of this Super Age guide.

Pillar 1: Increase Your Body Wisdom

Any recipe for increasing healthspan includes good nutrition, restorative sleep, stress reduction, and social connection. But arguably the most impactful practice for living longer and healthier is physical activity.

Exercise acts like a comprehensive health policy, effectively delaying the onset of up to 40 chronic conditions. 

One review of the scientific literature found that regular exercise can increase life expectancy by 6.9 years. “Exercise mitigates many aging effects through its influence on bone density, muscle mass, cardiovascular health, brain function, and overall vitality,” says Sabrena Jo, PhD, Senior Director of Science & Education for the American Council on Exercise. 

Exercise generally falls into two primary categories: endurance and resistance. Both are essential for long-term vitality, especially after midlife.

Endurance Training for Cardiovascular and Cellular Health

Endurance activities—such as brisk walking, cycling, swimming, skiing, dancing, or playing sports—improve your body’s aerobic capacity and increase the efficiency of oxygen use. These exercises raise your heart rate, boost circulation, and enhance skeletal muscle function.

Endurance training has been shown to:

• Increase heart and lung capacity
• Improve mitochondrial function and VO2 max
• Decrease risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, some cancers, and depression
• Slow cognitive decline and prevent hippocampal shrinkage
• Lower inflammation and oxidative stress

Here’s what science says about the power of regular endurance exercise:

1. Exercise lowers your risk for life-threatening disease. One meta-analysis showed that cardiovascular fitness greatly reduces the risk of multiple chronic conditions, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, some cancers, and depression. It has also been shown to support kidney health and may disrupt cancer progression by forming a metabolic shield that reduces metastasis risk.
2. Fitness matters more than your weight. A comprehensive study found that cardiovascular fitness was far more important than BMI for long-term health, shifting the focus from body size to physical capacity.
3. Endurance training reverses cellular aging. Regular aerobic exercise improves mitochondrial efficiency and endurance, restoring cellular function that typically declines with age. It also counteracts reductions in cardiac output and VO2 max, which are key contributors to cardiovascular disease.
4. Exercise protects your brain. Physical activity can prevent or delay age-related decline of the hippocampus, a brain region critical for memory and learning.
5. Exercise reduces inflammation across your entire body. Endurance training triggers a beneficial enzyme response in muscle tissue that counteracts oxidative damage. This stress also reduces chronic inflammation linked to aging and disease.
6. Exercise strengthens the entire system. One study found that regular aerobic activity improves communication between muscle and other organs, enhancing whole-body antioxidant capacity. Continuous training influences the cardiorespiratory, musculoskeletal, neurological, endocrine, and immune systems at the molecular level.

“Exercise increases ‘cross-talk’ between muscle and other organs that strengthens whole-body antioxidant capacity,” researchers noted in one study, highlighting the full-body effects of aerobic training.

Resistance Training for Muscle, Bone, and Brain

Also known as strength training, resistance exercise is vital for maintaining physical function, mobility, and metabolic health as we age.

Muscle mass naturally declines after our 30s—a condition known as sarcopenia. In women, this accelerates during menopause due to loss of estrogen. Muscle strength loss more than doubles between ages 50 and 70 for both men and women.

Here’s what science says about the power of regular resistance exercise:

1. HIIT offers powerful cellular benefits. A 2017 study found that high-intensity interval training significantly improves mitochondrial capacity in older adults—enhancing cellular energy production and slowing biological aging.
2. Strength training combats muscle loss. Muscle mass peaks in your 30s and declines with age—a condition called sarcopenia. For women, the decline accelerates during menopause. Resistance training helps maintain muscle mass, which supports strength, mobility, and independence.
3. Strength training improves bone health and metabolism. Lifting weights promotes bone density, supports a healthy metabolism, and helps maintain lean body mass.
4. It supports posture, balance, and coordination. Strong core and leg muscles reduce fall risk and improve stability, especially important in older adults.
5. Lifting heavy weights benefits brain health. “Women need to lift heavy weights,” says Jen Wagner, MD. Resistance training creates a communication loop between muscles and the brain, providing neural stimulation that estrogen once delivered.
6. Stronger legs, stronger brain. One study showed that leg strength is positively correlated with increased neural cell growth, reinforcing the importance of lower-body training as we age.

How to Exercise for Longevity

As we age, it’s important to follow a well-rounded fitness regimen that targets endurance, strength, and flexibility. 

Weekly Exercise Goals for Adults

• 150–300 minutes of moderate aerobic activity (Zone 2) or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity cardio each week
• At least 2–3 sessions of resistance training targeting major muscle groups
• Flexibility and balance practices (like yoga, Pilates, or tai chi) 3 times per week

Dr. Jen Wagner recommends polarized training for women over 50—alternating between high- and low-intensity sessions to reduce injury risk and improve performance. She also encourages using weight vests during walks or hikes to support spine and hip strength while improving coordination and fall prevention. “You’re learning how to control your body in space moving downhill, and that really helps those neural patterns and coordination,” Wagner says.

How Much Exercise Is Too Much? Even good stress has limits. According to Dr. Michael Roizen: “Most exercise, up to 1.5 hours, will increase stem cell production and telomere length, and decrease inflammatory protein. After that, it impedes your immune system and decreases your stem cells.”

The takeaway: Exercise smart. Raise your heart rate regularly, lift weights, stretch, and recover well. But avoid chronic overtraining—especially if you’re not fueling or sleeping adequately.

Longevity Tip: Stay Flexible: Flexibility may be an overlooked longevity biomarker, especially for women. One study found that women with stiff joints had a higher risk of premature death than those with greater flexibility. Researchers believe that inflexibility may indicate arterial stiffness, elevated blood pressure, and cardiovascular risk. Stretch regularly, stay mobile, and prioritize movement that keeps your joints supple and your connective tissue healthy.

Pillar 2: What to Eat to Boost Healthspan

The modern Western diet has made us sick. More than 60% of U.S. adults have a diet-related chronic disease. The culprits are well known: high levels of sodium, added sugars, refined grains, hydrogenated oils, and alcohol. Overconsumption of these ingredients, combined with underconsumption of nutrient-dense whole foods, disrupts the body’s natural systems.

We are not giving our bodies the fuel they need, and we’re overwhelming them with ingredients they aren’t designed to handle.

Inflammation and Aging: The Hidden Link

At the root of many chronic conditions is inflammation. While inflammation is a protective immune response to injury or infection, it becomes problematic when it turns chronic. As we age, our bodies may trigger inflammatory responses even when no threat exists. “The key to longevity is not to have inflammation in your body,” says Michael Roizen, MD, Chief Wellness Officer for the Cleveland Clinic.

Christina Camell, PhD, from the University of Minnesota’s Institute on the Biology of Aging and Metabolism, notes that stress, poor sleep, and inactivity also contribute to immune dysfunction, leading to oxidative stress and chronic inflammation.

Chronic low-grade inflammation is linked to nearly every major disease of aging. The right nutrition can help quiet this internal fire.

Antioxidants, Free Radicals, and Aging: Why They Matter

Excess free radicals circulating in the body can cause oxidative stress, damaging cells and creating the conditions for chronic and degenerative diseases to develop. This accelerates aging at the cellular level. “Oxidative stress is one of the key mechanisms of aging,” says Christina Camell, PhD, from the University of Minnesota’s Institute on the Biology of Aging and Metabolism.

Antioxidants act as free-radical scavengers, neutralizing their disruptive impact before long-term damage occurs. Our cells produce their own antioxidants, but food sources provide the extra defense we need—especially as we age and our body’s internal defenses decline. “You want to get your antioxidants from food,” says Dr. Michael Roizen. “The synergy in whole food nutrition is hard to replicate in supplements.”

By regularly eating antioxidant-rich foods like berries, leafy greens, tomatoes, green tea, and dark chocolate, you can lower oxidative stress, reduce inflammation, increase energy, and protect cells throughout the body.

Best Anti-Inflammatory Foods to Eat for Longevity

Here are some of the most antioxidant-rich, anti-inflammatory foods to add to your weekly routine:

• Berries: blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, elderberries, goji, acai
• Oily fish: salmon, mackerel, sardines, anchovies
• Leafy greens: spinach, kale, bok choy
• Cruciferous vegetables: broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts
• Mushrooms: including medicinal varieties like reishi and shiitake
• Tomatoes and peppers: rich in lycopene and vitamin C
• Tart cherries: naturally high in melatonin and anthocyanins
• Nuts and seeds: almonds, walnuts, Brazil nuts, chia, flax, pumpkin
• Avocados: full of monounsaturated fats
• Dark chocolate: at least 70% cocoa (in moderation)
• Green tea: polyphenol-packed and calming

These foods not only reduce inflammation but support better energy, cognition, and long-term disease prevention.

Eat for Longevity (and the Planet) Many of the anti-inflammatory foods recommended for healthy aging are foundational to both the Mediterranean diet and the Planetary Health Diet—two well-researched approaches shown to support longevity, metabolic health, and environmental sustainability.

The Mediterranean Diet: A Proven Longevity Model

The Mediterranean diet emphasizes whole, seasonal foods and has been widely recognized for its health benefits. This approach to eating includes:

• Plenty of fruits and vegetables
• Whole grains and legumes
• Healthy fats from sources like olive oil, nuts, and seeds
• Moderate intake of fish and seafood
• Limited red meat, dairy, and processed foods

Valter Longo, PhD, director of the USC Longevity Institute, notes that age-related changes to gut bacteria and cellular energy efficiency can be improved through diet. “Nutrition is probably the best way to extend longevity,” Longo says.

Adopting a Mediterranean-style diet is linked to reduced all-cause mortality, lower risk of cardiovascular disease, improved brain health and cognitive performance, and enhanced metabolic function and energy levels.

One large cohort study found that women following a Mediterranean diet had a 23% lower risk of death from all causes. “Hundreds of studies all point in the same direction: Eat mostly plant-based, with small amounts of animal protein, and mainly fish,” says Longo.

The Science Behind Intermittent Fasting

Another powerful longevity strategy is giving your body time between meals. Research finds that intermittent fasting can:

• Lower insulin levels and improve fat metabolism
• Stimulate autophagy, the body’s cellular cleanup process
• Enhance stem cell activation
• Support metabolic repair

However, fasting for too long may do more harm than good, especially if done without guidance. “There are meta-analyses that clearly show people who skip breakfast live shorter and have more cardiovascular disease,” says Longo. “It’s not about skipping breakfast—it’s about fasting for 16 hours.”

A Safer Approach: 12-Hour Fasting and FMD

• 12:12 fasting (e.g., 8 PM to 8 AM) provides benefits without added cardiovascular risk
  
• Fasting-Mimicking Diets (FMD)—low-protein, high-fat, plant-based protocols—help reset metabolic function and lower inflammation
  

In clinical studies, 5-day FMDs performed 2 to 12 times per year showed benefits for people with pre-diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, and other inflammation-driven conditions. Longo suggests that FMD may also offer a non-pharmaceutical alternative to GLP-1 weight loss drugs like Ozempic.

Pillar 3: How to Prioritize Deep Sleep

We need good sleep as much as we need air, water, and food. During sleep, our bodies repair damaged cells, release essential hormones, and consolidate memories. It’s when our brains clear out waste and our nervous systems reset.

Not getting enough sleep or enough quality sleep can take a serious toll on health and longevity.

• Sleeping less than 7 hours per night increases your risk of dying by 12%
• Chronic sleep deprivation raises the risk of heart disease, metabolic disorders, depression, and cognitive decline
• Sleep loss is associated with oxidative stress, DNA damage, and reduced DNA repair
• Poor sleep interferes with neural communication and the brain’s ability to flush out waste

Despite this, up to 35% of Americans report getting fewer than 7 hours of sleep, and about 12% have been diagnosed with chronic insomnia.

Hormones, Aging, and Sleep Disruption

Sleep challenges become more common with age—especially for women. According to The Menopause Society, 50% of postmenopausal women report sleep disturbances. Hormonal shifts, particularly the decline in estrogen and progesterone, can trigger night sweats, mood changes, and insomnia. Weight gain and elevated stress also contribute. “There’s a whole host of things that can be contributing to poor sleep,” says Stephanie Faubion, MD, director of the Mayo Clinic Center for Women’s Health.

Meanwhile, men are twice as likely to experience obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a potentially dangerous condition that not only causes repeated nighttime awakenings but can have life-threatening complications like heart damage and stroke. Men are also more prone to delayed sleep phase disorder, which makes it difficult to fall asleep—even when tired.

In short, we know we need more sleep. But how do we actually get it?

How Diet Affects Sleep Quality

Diets high in ultra-processed foods are linked to reduced sleep duration and quality. In contrast, diets rich in complex carbohydrates, healthy fats, and lean proteins support longer and deeper sleep.

The Mediterranean diet, which emphasizes whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, and unsaturated fats, is associated with better sleep outcomes. This may be partly due to the presence of key sleep-supporting nutrients:

• Tryptophan: An essential amino acid that converts into serotonin and melatonin, both of which regulate sleep cycles
• Magnesium: Helps quiet the nervous system and support melatonin production (absorption often declines with age)
• Melatonin: Directly regulates circadian rhythm and sleep onset

Additionally, these foods nourish the gut microbiome, which has been linked to better sleep efficiency and duration.

Sleep-Supporting Foods to Add to Your Plate

Eating a heavy meal close to bedtime can impair digestion and delay sleep onset. At the same time, eating too early or too little can lead to middle-of-the-night hunger, disrupting sleep.

Excess weight, especially around the abdomen, also raises the risk of obstructive sleep apnea.

• Legumes: white beans, lentils, edamame, chickpeas
• Whole grains: oats, brown rice, quinoa, barley, farro
• Fruits: tart cherries, kiwi, banana, pineapple, mango, apples
• Nuts and seeds: almonds, pistachios, walnuts, pecans, pumpkin, chia, flax, sunflower
• Animal products: eggs, cheese, milk, seafood, poultry, lean beef
• Vegetables: spinach, kale, bok choy, cabbage, sweet potato, onion, garlic
• Fermented foods: yogurt, kimchi, sauerkraut
• Tofu and avocados
• Dark chocolate (70%+ cacao, in moderation)

These Habits Set You Up For Healthy Sleep

Good sleep starts long before bedtime. Here are the top science-backed ways to improve your sleep hygiene:

• Get morning sunlight: Natural light halts melatonin production and boosts cortisol, which helps you feel awake and alert. It also resets your internal clock for better sleep later.
  
• Spend time outdoors in the afternoon: Reinforces your circadian rhythm and boosts mood.
  
• Keep your bedroom cool and dark: Ideal sleep temperature is around 65°F. Use blackout curtains if needed.

• Keep a consistent sleep-wake schedule: Going to bed and waking at the same time every day strengthens your body’s natural rhythms.
  
• Exercise regularly: Physical activity is proven to support both sleep duration and quality.
  
• Take a hot bath or shower: Raises your body temperature; the cooling that follows signals your body it’s time for sleep.
  
• Limit screen time at night: Blue light suppresses melatonin, and mental stimulation can keep your brain wired.
  
• Write a to-do list: Jotting down tomorrow’s tasks can help your mind settle.
  

What to Avoid Before Bed

• Alcohol: While it may make you feel sleepy at first, alcohol disrupts REM sleep, causes fragmented rest, impairs breathing, and increases the risk of sleep apnea. It also interferes with the body’s ability to produce melatonin.
  
• Caffeine after 2 PM: Caffeine can remain active in your system for 6–8 hours and blocks adenosine, the neurochemical that promotes sleepiness. It also delays melatonin release, especially in sensitive individuals.
  
• Blue light exposure: The blue light emitted from phones, tablets, and laptops suppresses melatonin production and confuses your circadian rhythm, making it harder to fall asleep. Even 30 minutes of screen time before bed can delay melatonin by over an hour. Use blue light filters or switch to ambient lighting in the evening.
  
• Cannabis: While some people use cannabis to fall asleep, especially THC-dominant strains, regular use can disrupt sleep architecture over time. It may reduce REM sleep and lead to poorer sleep quality and vivid dreams or rebound insomnia when discontinued. CBD may be less disruptive, but individual responses vary.

Longevity Tip: Create a Wind-Down Routine: “You would never take a 2-year-old off the playground and put them right into bed,” says Jen Wagner, MD. Just like toddlers, adults benefit from a consistent bedtime ritual that helps the body transition into rest.

A wind-down routine might include:

• Watching a calming TV show
• Light reading
• A warm bath
• Gentle yoga or stretching
• Tidying up
• Writing a to-do list for tomorrow

Choose what works for you and repeat it each night. Over time, your brain will begin to associate those cues with sleep, making it easier to fall and stay asleep.

Pillar 4: Cultivate Connection

You can eat well, exercise regularly, and sleep like a champion—but if you lack strong social connections, your health and lifespan may still suffer. People without close personal connections are 25% more likely to die prematurely than those with robust social bonds. One large meta-analysis even found that the health risk of social disconnection is comparable to smoking, obesity, or hypertension.

In a study of adults aged 65 and older, those who reported feeling lonely were 40% more likely to die over the following four years. For women specifically, those with strong social relationships had a 42% higher likelihood of living to age 85 compared to women who were socially isolated.

Loneliness and Isolation: A Growing Public Health Crisis

While loneliness and social isolation are distinct, they share a common thread: the absence of meaningful connection. And both are increasingly common in modern life. More than one-third of adults over age 45 report feeling lonely and nearly one-quarter of adults over 65 are considered socially isolated. The numbers are so concerning that the former U.S. Surgeon General has declared a loneliness epidemic.

Why are we so disconnected? Several social trends are contributing to the problem: More people live alone. Fewer belong to community groups or clubs. Family sizes have decreased. People are choosing to spend more time solo.

How Loneliness Harms Your Health

The risks of disconnection are not just emotional—they are physiological. Chronic loneliness and social isolation have been linked to:

• Elevated stress hormones
• Systemic inflammation
• Slower wound healing
• Increased heart rate, blood pressure, and blood sugar
• Weakened immune response—even vaccines may be less effective in those who feel lonely

People who feel chronically lonely are also more than twice as likely to experience depression and hopelessness and at significantly greater risk for cognitive decline and dementia.

How Connection Protects Your Health

While researchers are still uncovering the full mechanisms, evidence shows that strong, supportive relationships provide a powerful buffer against stress and disease. Feeling connected can:

• Lower cortisol and reduce blood pressure
  
• Stimulate oxytocin, a hormone that enhances immunity and emotional bonding
  
• Reinforce healthy behaviors like exercise and good nutrition
  
• Improve self-esteem and mental resilience
  
• Help break negative thinking loops by introducing new perspectives
  
• Strengthen personal agency and sense of meaning

The Quality of Your Relationships Matters

Not all relationships are protective. The most health-enhancing connections share these four qualities:

• Encouragement for growth
• Emotional support
• Shared accountability
• Celebration of progress

The Harvard Study of Adult Development—the longest-running study on happiness and health—found that satisfaction in relationships is the strongest predictor of lifelong well-being. “The people who were the most satisfied in their relationships at age 50 were the healthiest at age 80,” says study director Dr. Robert Waldinger.

Longevity Tip: Take Stock of Your Social Circle. Take a few minutes to reflect on your relationships and what you’d like to be different. What are some actions you might take to nourish the connections you have, or to spark new ones? Ask yourself:

• Which connections energize you?
• Where might you invest more time or intention?
• Who might be missing from your circle?

Dr. Michael Roizen says that building meaningful social connections can start with reaching out to someone you haven’t been in touch with. This can also help overcome what researchers have found is reluctance to re-establish contact with people we’ve known, even if we suspect they would be happy to hear from us. 

We also tend to underestimate how even small kindness on our part will impact others. “Call three friends you haven’t seen in person every Sunday,” Roizen suggests. Studies show that we often underestimate how positively others will respond to small acts of kindness or reconnection.

How to Build and Deepen Social Connections

Social scientist Kasley Killam, author of The Art and Science of Connection, offers strategies to increase both the quantity and quality of your relationships:

To Expand Your Network:

• Join a local club, sports team, or community group
• Visit new places where you’re likely to meet like-minded people
• Introduce yourself to neighbors or coworkers
• Say hello to people you see regularly—baristas, bus drivers, dog walkers

To Deepen Existing Relationships:

• Share a personal story or struggle
• Ask for advice
• Express gratitude directly

Sometimes the smallest gestures spark the deepest bonds.

Pillar 5: Train Your Mind

Your perception of the world directly influences your health, longevity, and overall well-being. Research increasingly shows that an optimistic mindset isn’t just nice to have—it’s a powerful longevity tool.

One study found that people who are optimistic live 11–15% longer and are significantly more likely to reach age 85. Another found that optimistic women have a 10% greater chance of living to 90 or beyond.

Optimism is linked to:

• Reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes, and lung decline
• Lower rates of depression and premature death
• Stronger immune function and stress resilience

These associations remain strong regardless of socioeconomic status, social integration, or existing health conditions.

Positive Aging Beliefs = Longer Life

How you think about aging also matters. In one study, people with a positive mindset toward aging lived 7.5 years longer than those who held negative beliefs. They also had a lower risk of heart disease, dementia, and disability.

Why? Because mindset drives behavior. Optimists are:

• More likely to engage in physical activity
• More proactive about preventive health care
• Better equipped to manage setbacks and stress
• Less likely to engage in self-sabotaging behavior
• More connected to a sense of purpose and community

Optimism Is a Trainable Skill

Although optimism has some genetic basis (up to 25% heritable), the remaining 75% is shaped by environment and daily behavior. That means it’s possible to learn optimism, like any other skill. Here are ways to start training your brain to think more positively:

4 Ways to Cultivate a More Optimistic Outlook

1. Challenge Your Beliefs
Interrogate your automatic thoughts. Are your assumptions rooted in fact—or in outdated beliefs? This applies especially to perceptions about aging. Studies show that intellectually humble individuals—those open to the idea that they could be wrong—are more adaptable and optimistic.

2. Find Positive Role Models
Surround yourself with examples of what’s possible. Seek out people who are living active, joyful, connected lives into their 80s, 90s, or beyond.

3. Be Kind to Yourself
Self-compassion is strongly linked to optimism. It reduces anxiety and depression, while increasing feelings of curiosity and connection.

4. Visualize Your Best Possible Self
A powerful study showed that people who imagined their “best possible self” for just five minutes a day for two weeks significantly increased their levels of optimism. Visualization clarifies goals and boosts agency.

The Greater Good Science Center recommends doing this for 15 minutes: Picture a future where everything has gone right. What decisions got you there?

Longevity Tip: Cultivate Gratitude

Gratitude is a direct path to more optimism. It shifts your attention away from what’s lacking and toward what’s life-giving and nourishing.

In one study, adults with neuromuscular disease who practiced daily gratitude for 21 days reported higher energy, better mood, improved sleep, stronger sense of connection, and increased optimism. Other studies show that keeping a gratitude journal is linked to better emotional resilience, especially in times of stress.

Try This:

• Keep a gratitude journal by your bed. Before bed, record anything that lifted you in some way that day.
• Take a 10-minute “gratitude walk” and mentally note what you appreciate
• Send a thank-you note
• Practice mindfulness meditation focused on appreciation
• Say what you’re thankful for out loud—even if just to yourself

Bonus: The Secret to Lasting Habit Change

You can have the best intentions—eat better, move more, go to bed earlier—but without sustainable habits, those goals will likely fade. Only about 9% of people stick to New Year’s resolutions past January. Why? Because you’re fighting your brain’s built-in preference for familiar habit loops.

This process is called automaticity, and refers to the brain’s tendency to favor efficiency and routine. Changing behavior requires effort and repetition, which your brain naturally resists.

A classic habit loop is a three-part process that governs how habits form. A habit starts with a trigger (like a sound, feeling, or situation), then you do the action (the habit), and finally you get a reward, something that makes you feel good and keeps you coming back for more. For example:

• Trigger: You walk into the kitchen at 6 PM
• Behavior: You automatically pour a glass of wine
• Reward: Relaxation or pleasure

To replace the behavior, you must rewire the loop—intentionally, and repeatedly.

Healthy Habits Add Years to Your Life

A large-scale analysis found that people in their 50s who adopted just five key lifestyle habits lived more than a decade longer than those who didn’t:

1. Eat a nutrient-dense diet
2. Don’t smoke
3. Exercise at least 3.5 hours per week
4. Limit alcohol to moderate amounts
5. Maintain a healthy body weight

Women increased their life expectancy from 79 to 93. Men from 75.5 to 87.6.

5 Ways to Stay Steady to Build Healthy Habits

Researchers say it takes an average of 66 days to form a new habit—though for some, it may take as long as 254 days. The key predictor of success? Consistency, not motivation. Another study found that to form a lasting exercise habit, you need at least four sessions a week for six weeks. Big goals often fail because they’re overwhelming. Instead, focus on tiny changes that feel easy.

1) Start Small and Build

When we get fired up about making change, we often go all in—which usually leads to burnout. Instead, begin with small, achievable shifts:

• Swap your usual breakfast for one with more fiber and healthy fat
• Add a vegetable to your dinner plate each week
• Replace 15 minutes of scrolling with stretching or walking

2) Use Habit Stacking

Link a new habit to an existing one. For example:

• Keep a glass of water by your toothbrush and drink it first thing
• Meditate for 5 minutes after you make your bed
• Do heel raises while brushing your teeth

This simple structure lowers cognitive load and increases success.

3) Track Your Journey

You can’t change what you don’t measure. Tracking your progress is one of the most effective ways to build momentum and stay accountable.

Studies show that people who use digital tracking apps are more engaged, more consistent, and more likely to reach their health goals—especially when it comes to weight loss and physical activity.

Tracking can help you:

• Stay aware of your choices
• Monitor patterns in mood, energy, or sleep
• Measure improvements in performance or consistency
• Stay connected to your long-term goals

Whether it’s a habit tracker, fitness wearable, or simple notebook, choose a method that feels sustainable.

4) Celebrate Progress

Behavior change isn’t linear. Without celebrating the small wins, it’s easy to get discouraged. Recognizing progress—no matter how minor—builds confidence and motivation. Try this:

• Log your weekly wins
• Share milestones with a friend
• Set mini-rewards for consistency

Every rep, every veggie, every night of quality sleep counts.

5) Use Morning Energy to Power Your Habits

Your morning routine sets the tone for the day—and for long-term behavior change. Researchers have found that morning habits are significantly more likely to stick than evening ones. Elevated cortisol helps with focus and habit retention, and mornings usually have fewer distractions.

Try This:

• Do a 5-minute gratitude meditation right after waking up
• Add antioxidant-rich foods like avocado or berries to your breakfast
• Wear a weighted vest on your morning walk

Use your mornings to anchor the habits that will shape your Super Age future.

Final Word: You Shape the Future You

The science is clear: how you age is not predetermined. The daily choices you make—what you eat, how you move, who you connect with, and how you think—carry the power to add not just years to your life, but life to your years. Longevity is not about perfection; it’s about progression. Start where you are. Build one habit at a time. Track what works. Celebrate what grows. This isn’t about chasing youth—it’s about investing in your future self. This is how you Super Age.