“Aging well” means growing older while maintaining independence, good health, and financial security. Everyone would like to age well, but some seem to age more gracefully than others.
Seniors might wonder whether aging well is a matter of luck. Some suspect that their healthier peers simply won the genetic lottery and were predestined to avoid disabling health conditions.
While a genetic predisposition to certain diseases can affect the length and quality of life, medical researchers believe that genes make only a 20% contribution to our ability to enjoy a long and healthy lifespan. Other factors, including exercise, a good diet, a healthy living environment, social connections, financial savings, and regular medical checkups all contribute to long and healthy lives.
Super Agers
Dr. Eric Topol, a cardiologist and molecular scientist who has spent decades studying the processes of aging, reports on developments in the science of aging in his new book: Super Agers: An Evidence-Based Approach to Longevity. Super Agers are people over the age of 80 whose mental faculties are similar to those of people who are two or three decades younger.
Super aging has both cognitive and physical components. Physical Super Agers have greater aerobic capacity than average people who have reached the age of 80. Aerobic capacity is a measurement of the oxygen that someone can take in and distribute to their bodily tissues in one minute. Most people lose about 10% of their aerobic capacity during each decade after they turn 30, but super agers have an aerobic capacity that is common in people 30 years younger.
Even the healthiest bodies and minds have an increased risk of breaking down as we age. Diseases like cancer develop over time and are more likely to be diagnosed as people grow older. Dr. Topol nevertheless suggests that aging individuals can adopt a set of strategies often seen in Super Agers that might delay the decline of health and increase the likelihood of aging well.
Dr. Topol’s Strategies
There is no guarantee that any plan will turn someone into a Super Ager. Dr. Topol’s research nevertheless suggests the possibility of extending a healthy lifespan by doing these five things:
Begin strength training. Studies have long demonstrated that regular exercise is essential to good health. Dr. Topol was surprised to learn that strength training, in particular, lowers the probability of premature death. Strength training improves bone density, has a positive impact on mental health, and promotes sound sleep. While older adults with serious medical conditions should obtain medical guidance before they begin strength training, most seniors should be able to find strength exercises that they can perform regularly.
Schedule sleep. While it is important to get enough sleep, Dr. Topol found that sleeping on a regular schedule promotes the deep sleep that is essential for healthy aging. Insufficient hours of deep sleep elevate the risk of dementia. Dr. Topol found that going to bed at the same time every night increases the duration of deep sleep.
Reduce stress. Avoiding stress isn’t always possible, but stress can be managed. Communing with nature, exercising, and socializing are among the strategies that seniors can follow to reduce their stress levels and increase their longevity.
Don’t rely on tests and trackers. Apps often promise more than they deliver. A sleep tracker or glucose monitor might provide valuable information, but it takes more than an app to change a lifestyle. Expensive blood and saliva tests that are marketed to seniors might not return any information that will improve the senior’s life. Seniors need to put in the work to achieve a healthy lifestyle. An app or test won’t do the work for them.
Take influencers with a grain of salt. Lifestyle bloggers may have good intentions, but what works for a blogger may not work for everyone. If a blogger promotes a nutritional supplement, seniors should wonder whether the blogger might be earning income every time a senior buys a recommended product through the blogger’s website. Not all bloggers are biased, but it pays to obtain information from a variety of sources to develop lifestyle changes that aren’t based on products endorsed by influencers.