5 Habits Separate People Who Age Well From Those Who Don’t

It turns out that tiny changes – minutes more exercise, a few grams more veggies – can make a surprisingly large difference to your longevity and heart attack risk.

And Dr Dominic Greenyer, a private GP at The Health Suite, said that those lifestyle changes become medically obvious in time.

“If you followed two twins over time, you would often see clear differences in their skin, body composition, energy levels and overall health depending on how they live,” Dr Greenyer said.

“Ageing is not just about time passing. It’s about how well the body is maintained.”

Here, he shared the five factors he feels make all the difference:

As we age, our muscles begin to wane – a process called sarcopenia. If we do nothing to maintain or build it, some research says we’re expected to lose half our muscle mass by 80.

“One of the biggest predictors of healthy ageing is muscle mass,” Dr Greenyer said.

“Chronic poor sleep can accelerate ageing at a cellular level,” Dr Greenyer said.

“It affects hormones, recovery, inflammation and even visible signs like skin quality.”

Experts think that following a “7-1” sleeping rule (getting at least seven hours of sleep a night, with no more than an hour’s variance between bedtimes and wake-up times) could add years to your life.

In and of itself, inflammation isn’t a problem – it can help our bodies to heal and may be an important part of muscle growth.

But “inflammaging” can occur when inflammation is chronic, and might contribute to conditions such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, dementia, and frailty.

It “is influenced by diet, stress, alcohol intake and overall lifestyle,” Dr Greenyer said.

Those who eat whole foods, stay active, and manage stress well may have less unwanted inflammation, he added.

There’s lots of research to support the idea that enjoying ourselves – be it through socialising or even eating some candy – might help us to live longer.

“There is good evidence that polyphenol-rich foods such as dark chocolate can support cardiovascular health when consumed in moderation,” Dr Greenyer added. “Just as important is maintaining strong social connections, which are consistently associated with longer lifespan and better mental wellbeing.”

He ended, “The difference comes from small choices repeated over years – but they should still allow you to enjoy life.”