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What really makes the biggest difference when it comes to living a longer, healthier life? Dr. Chaitali Sarkar shares the evidence-backed habits that have the greatest impact on healthy aging—and why it’s never too late to start making positive changes.
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September is Healthy Aging Month, making it a great time to think about what it really means to age well.
With so much attention surrounding longevity, supplements, medications, and treatments that promise to slow aging, it can be easy to overlook the strategies that have the strongest evidence behind them.
According to Dr. Chaitali Sarkar of Connected Health, the most impactful steps we can take are also some of the most familiar: building healthy lifestyle habits, managing cardiovascular risk factors, and staying consistent with preventive care.
“The single most impactful, evidence-based way to prolong life is adopting a cluster of healthy lifestyle behaviors,” Dr. Sarkar explains.
And importantly, healthy aging isn't just about adding years to your life. It's about protecting your health, independence, mobility, and quality of life throughout those years.
Research looking at healthy lifestyle behaviors has found a significant association between following multiple healthy habits and living longer.
One large study through the Million Veteran Program looked at eight lifestyle factors and found that people who adopted all eight had a substantially lower risk of death during the study period. Researchers estimated that following all eight habits beginning around age 40 could potentially be associated with roughly two additional decades of life expectancy.
Other large U.S. studies have similarly associated a combination of healthy lifestyle factors with an estimated 12–14 additional years of life expectancy.
The takeaway isn't that there's one magic habit. Instead, the benefits appear to build when healthy behaviors are practiced together.
And Dr. Sarkar points out another encouraging finding: making healthier changes can still matter as we get older. It's never too late to start taking better care of yourself.
So, where should you focus? Dr. Sarkar highlights several areas that have consistently been associated with better long-term health.
Avoiding tobacco remains one of the most important things you can do for your long-term health.
Smoking affects nearly every organ in the body and increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, respiratory disease, and numerous other health conditions. If you currently smoke, quitting can provide health benefits regardless of your age or how long you've smoked.
If there is one habit worth prioritizing as you age, regular physical activity belongs near the top of the list.
“Exercise is medicine,” Dr. Sarkar says.
Regular movement supports cardiovascular health, muscle mass, bone strength, balance, metabolic health, and even cognitive and emotional well-being.
A good goal for many adults is at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity each week, while also reducing the amount of time spent sitting throughout the day. Your individual needs and abilities may differ, so talk with your healthcare provider about what's appropriate for you.
And remember: exercise doesn't have to mean spending hours at the gym. Walking, strength training, swimming, cycling, gardening, and other activities you enjoy all count.
Rather than focusing on the latest restrictive diet, Dr. Sarkar recommends looking at well-established eating patterns such as the Mediterranean and DASH diets.
These approaches emphasize:
Healthy eating doesn't need to be perfect. The goal is to create an overall pattern you can realistically maintain.
Maintaining a healthy body composition can help lower the risk of conditions including type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, and certain cancers.
But the number on the scale isn't the only thing that matters. Your provider can look at the bigger picture, including your blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, waist circumference, muscle mass, activity level, family history, and other individual risk factors.
When it comes to alcohol and longevity, more is not better.
If you drink alcohol, talk with your healthcare provider about your intake and individual health risks. Some people may benefit from limiting alcohol further or avoiding it altogether based on their medications, medical history, or other risk factors.
Restorative sleep is an important part of healthy aging.
Consistently poor sleep can affect cardiovascular and metabolic health, mood, cognition, immune function, and your ability to maintain other healthy behaviors.
If you're regularly struggling to fall asleep, stay asleep, or feel rested in the morning, don't simply accept it as a normal part of getting older. It may be worth discussing with your physician.
Healthy aging isn't only physical.
Chronic stress can take a toll on the body, while meaningful relationships and strong social connections play an important role in overall well-being.
Make room for the things that help you recharge — whether that's time with family and friends, hobbies, exercise, time outdoors, volunteering, mindfulness, or simply slowing down.
Lifestyle is a major piece of the healthy aging puzzle, but it isn't the only one.
Regular primary care allows your healthcare team to identify and manage risk factors such as high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, diabetes, obesity, and other chronic conditions that can affect both lifespan and quality of life.
Preventive screenings, vaccinations, routine blood work, medication reviews, and conversations about changes in your health can also help identify concerns before they become bigger problems.
At Connected Health, this is why we place such a strong emphasis on proactive and preventive primary care. Healthy aging isn't something that begins at a certain birthday. It's an ongoing process of understanding your health, identifying your individual risks, and making adjustments along the way.
Despite growing interest in medications and treatments marketed around longevity, Dr. Sarkar emphasizes that there is currently no medication proven to extend lifespan in otherwise healthy people in the way that established healthy lifestyle behaviors can support long-term health.
Instead of searching for one intervention that will change everything, focus on the fundamentals.
Move your body. Eat well. Don't smoke. Prioritize sleep. Stay socially connected. Manage stress. Know your numbers. And keep up with preventive care.
Individually, these choices may seem simple. Together, they can have a powerful impact on how well you age.
If you're wondering what healthy aging should look like for you, your Connected Health provider can help assess your individual risk factors and create a proactive plan designed around your health, lifestyle, and goals.
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