At 57, I think very differently about ageing to what I did at 37. Back then, I didn’t really think about ageing, it was something I associated more with how I looked. In my work as a biohacking expert focusing on female longevity I’m now far more interested in how ageing will impact how I live.
We can’t stop our chronological age from ticking upwards but we do have far more influence over how we age than many of us realise. I call it the lifestyle age. It’s determined by the day-to-day choices we make from whether we move our bodies to how well we eat or sleep. Our muscles, metabolic health, sleep, brain, cardiovascular system and even the way we respond to stress are all affected by what we repeatedly do. And there’s strong scientific research to support that the things we need to be doing to slow our ageing aren’t complicated, expensive or particularly glamorous.
These are seven I would start with today.
1. Treat muscle like a longevity organ
Preserving muscle and strength isn’t just about looking ripped. It also supports metabolic health, clear glucose from the bloodstream, bone health, helps maintain balance through strong stabiliser muscles, and ensures future independence for longer. Research shows higher physical activity is associated with lower biological age. My rule? Strength train at least 2-3 times a week and progressively challenge your muscles.
2. Stop treating sleep as a nice to have
Sleep isn’t wasted time. It’s when the brain and body carry out essential repair, memory consolidation, metabolic regulation and immune processes. When I started tracking my sleep, I realised I was getting very little deep and REM sleep. Wearables aren’t diagnostic but they helped me take my sleep more seriously. Establish a regular wind down routine and go to sleep and wake up at the same times. Around 7 hours of sleep a night has the most evidence to support a reduction in biological age, while sleeping for shorter or longer periods is associated with a higher biological age.
3. Eat enough protein and plant food
To support muscle preservation, we need to ensure we’re getting enough daily protein. This becomes even more important as we age. Aim for 1.2 – 1.8 g protein per body kilo depending on activity and individual health. Eating a diverse range of plant food gives your gut microbes different fibres and polyphenols, helping support a diverse and resilient microbiome.
4. Take a 10-minute walk after you eat
Blood glucose levels naturally rise after we eat, especially if we’ve tucked into the white stuff like pasta or had a sneaky dessert. But prolonged elevated levels can impair metabolic health. Taking a quick ten-minute walk helps to improve post-meal glucose control. Good glucose regulation supports metabolic health, one of the foundations of healthy ageing.
5. Give your body a break from food
Periods without food activate cellular pathways associated with healthy ageing. One of the most interesting studies by longevity researcher Professor Valter Longo found that three monthly cycles of a five-day fasting mimicking diet was associated with a reduction of around 2.5 years in biological age. That doesn’t mean we should all stop eating for five days. Even something as simple as cutting back on constant grazing and giving yourself an overnight eating break is a good place to start. More intensive fasting should be done under appropriate supervision. Fasting is not appropriate for everyone, and we should always prioritise maintaining muscle.
6. Take time out for recovery
Chronic stress has been linked to accelerated biological ageing, particularly in women. If you’re not keeping those stress levels under control you could be doing more damage than you realise. Build recovery into your day, whether it’s breath work, meditation, or a sauna session. We can’t remove every stressor from our lives, but we can improve how we come back down from them. Stress can be unavoidable, but recovery shouldn’t.
7. Don’t underestimate your relationships
We talk a lot about protein, sleep and exercise in longevity circles but perhaps not enough about the people sitting around our dinner table. The power of social connection is increasingly linked to longevity. A major analysis of more than 2.2 million people found social isolation was associated with a 32 per cent higher risk of dying from any cause. Time out with friends and family is a great stress buffer. So call that friend. Have dinner with your family and join that tennis group. Relationships are part of healthy ageing.
If you’re wanting to slow how quickly you age think of what you’re 80 year-old body will need. It’s muscle, mobility, a healthy heart, good sleep and metabolic health. These can’t be achieved overnight. They’re built over many years from an early age through the decisions you make every single day.
Written by Azra Alagic.
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