About two decades ago, a California research team observed a striking phenomenon: While a majority of older adults have at least two chronic diseases, some people reach their 80s without major illness.
The researchers suspected the key to healthier aging was genetic. But after sequencing the genomes of 1,400 of these aging outliers — a cohort they called the “Wellderly” — they found almost no difference between their biological makeup and that of their peers. They were, however, more physically active, more social and typically better educated than the general public.
That genes don’t necessarily determine healthy aging is “liberating,” and suggests that “we can pretty much all do better” to delay disease, said Dr. Eric Topol, a cardiologist and the founder of the Scripps Research Translational Institute, which ran the Wellderly study.
Dr. Topol is a prominent molecular scientist who has published 1,300 research articles, has written multiple books and has several hundred thousand followers across social media and his newsletter. His newest book, “Super Agers: An Evidence-Based Approach to Longevity,” out on Tuesday, delves into the rapidly evolving science of aging.
In the book, Dr. Topol writes that tools like biological age tests and increasingly sophisticated health risk prediction could eventually paint a clearer picture of how we’re aging.
With these tools and new scientific insight into how lifestyle drives the biological breakdown that comes with age, he writes, we can now do more than ever to delay that process. While we’re all more likely to get diseases like Alzheimer’s, cancer and diabetes as we get older, these illnesses can develop over the course of decades — which gives us a “long runway” to try to counter them, Dr. Topol said.
Here are five strategies he recommends for aging healthier.
Take up strength training.
People who exercise regularly live longer than those who don’t: Studies reliably show that physical activity reduces your risk of cancer, depression, diabetes and mortality overall.
But even Dr. Topol was surprised to learn that strength training in particular can significantly lower your risks: One meta-analysis mentioned in the book found that an hour of resistance training a week lowered subjects’ mortality risk by 25 percent.
Strength training has also been linked to better sleep, higher bone density and improved mental health, compared with no exercise. While there’s no magic threshold for how strong you should be to delay decline, the stronger you are, the better, Dr. Topol said.
Schedule your sleep.
Studies show that adequate sleep can reduce your risk of cancer, stroke and many other illnesses.
Committing to a consistent sleep schedule is also important. One analysis found that irregular sleep schedules increased subjects’ all-cause mortality risk.
Deep sleep is especially critical for better aging, Dr. Topol said. Research suggests that people who get fewer hours of deep sleep a night are at higher risk for dementia, for instance.
While drafting “Super Agers,” Dr. Topol said, he increased his deep sleep from 15 minutes to almost an hour per night over the course of a year by going to sleep at the same time each night, among other lifestyle changes. (He used a wearable sleep tracker and a smartphone app to monitor his sleep patterns.)
Most sleep aids, though, don’t get you deep, restorative sleep, Dr. Topol warned. Lifestyle changes — rather than drugs or supplements — are far more likely to increase your sleep duration and quality, he said.
Bolster your mental health.
Managing stress, and improving your mental health more broadly, are critical for lowering your risk of chronic disease and mortality.
There are simple steps you can take to improve your mental health and delay disease, Dr. Topol said, such as spending time outdoors. One study found that subjects who spent at least 30 minutes a week in outdoor green spaces experienced lower rates of depression and high blood pressure.
Studies show people with active social lives typically have a lower risk of mortality and disease. The Wellderly adults in the Scripps study also tended to have rich social lives, Dr. Topol wrote in “Super Agers.”
Use tests and trackers sparingly.
Many longevity influencers promote blood and saliva tests that claim to measure your biological age and can cost a hundred dollars or more. New protein analyses, not yet on the market, are intended to estimate how quickly certain organs are breaking down. Scientists are also exploring biomarker tests to predict conditions like Alzheimer’s.
Dr. Topol doesn’t recommend the aging tests on the market today because they’re expensive and it’s unclear how accurate they are. But as these tests get cheaper and more sophisticated, they could help you understand your individual risks, he said.
And while he’s optimistic that some wearable devices like sleep trackers or glucose monitors can help you estimate your sleep patterns or blood sugar, there’s no data suggesting that using trackers without making real lifestyle changes can meaningfully improve your health, he said.
Be wary of influencers.
Longevity enthusiasts may find themselves doing their own research, especially if their doctors aren’t up to date on the latest technological advances. But popular influencers are often biased, Dr. Topol warned.
There’s no reason to experiment with drugs, therapies or supplements that haven’t undergone clinical trials, he said, especially when exercise, sleep, improved mental health and diet are all much more likely to extend your life and health span, he said.
“If they’re hawking a supplement,” he said, “I would kick them off the list of being credible.”